Eagles prepare for Christmas showdown

Football Betting Lines

12/20/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The last time Philadelphia and Dallas met on a holiday was almost 20 years ago, on Thanksgiving.

The Eagles were donning their popular Kelly green uniforms on November 23, 1989, and smacked the Cowboys around to the tune of a 27-0 beating at Texas Stadium.

Even the network's introduction displayed clips of the bitter history between the division rivals as Ugly Kid Joe's "Everything About You" played in the background. Eagles defensive tackle Mike Pitts was ejected for brawling in the end zone that day, setting the tone for his teammates.

Philadelphia's play certainly ticked off Dallas head coach Jimmy Johnson, who vehemently vented his frustrations after he thought Eagles head coach Buddy Ryan put a bounty on quarterback Troy Aikman and kicker Luis Zendejas.

"I have absolutely no respect for the way they played the game," Johnson said. "I would have said something to (Eagles head coach) Buddy (Ryan), but he wouldn't stand on the field long enough. He put his big, fat rear end into the dressing room."

I can assure you words like that will not be coming from either head coach on Monday. But that doesn't mean the players will necessarily be professional in their between-plays interaction. These two teams hate each other, and the fact that the Eagles will again be squaring off against former teammate Terrell Owens only ratchets up the intensity.

In the first matchup between the rivals, on October 8 at Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles spoiled Owens' return to Philadelphia with a 38-24 victory. Owens had just three catches for 45 yards that day, while Eagles cornerback Lito Sheppard sealed the win with a 102-yard interception return for a touchdown with 16 seconds left.

Now it's Round II, and both teams are coming off big wins.

Philadelphia posted its third straight victory with quarterback Jeff Garcia at the helm this past Sunday, posting a 36-22 triumph over the division-rival New York Giants on the road. The victory gave the Eagles an 8-6 record and moved them a game behind Dallas in the NFC East standings. Philadelphia will play its third straight division game on the road on Monday at Dallas, which defeated Atlanta on Saturday and clinched a playoff berth.

The Eagles have been the hottest team in the NFC playoff hunt, and owe it all to Garcia, who has quieted the critics with a 3-1 record as a starter. Against the Giants, he spread the ball around to eight different receivers and finished with 237 yards and a touchdown on 19-of-28 passing. After his interception led to a 22-21 New York lead, the 36-year-old Garcia orchestrated an eight-play, 80-yard drive culminated by his 19-yard touchdown pass to Reggie Brown.

"It has been a lot of fun," Garcia said. "A year ago I really was not thinking that this could happen for me."

The Eagles are one win from a playoff berth and two wins shy of clinching their fifth NFC East title in six years. A win over Dallas would put the Eagles back in the driver's seat in the division.

Garcia, though, is not the only bright spot on Philly's offense right now. Running back Brian Westbrook takes a load off Garcia's shoulders with what he brings to the field on gameday. Westbrook ran for 97 yards and two touchdowns and caught five balls for 40 more yards at Giants Stadium, becoming the first running back in Eagles' history to rush for 1,000 yards and have 600 yards receiving in the same season.

Westbrook, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing for the first time in his career, scored from a yard out on fourth-down early in the game, and later busted through the Giants' defensive line for a 28-yard touchdown run. He has rushed for 479 yards and three touchdowns in the past five games, with an additional 226 receiving yards.

In the first meeting against Dallas, Westbrook ran for 33 yards and a touchdown and hauled in five passes from McNabb for an additional 53 yards. Head coach Andy Reid will certainly feed Westbrook the ball on Christmas Day, with backup Correll Buckhalter getting some carries as well. Buckhalter had 48 yards and a touchdown in last week's win.

B-DAWK COMES THROUGH AGAIN

Like fine wine, Eagles safety Brian Dawkins seemingly gets better with age. Dawkins put forth another solid effort on Sunday against New York and posted 12 total tackles, an interception and two forced fumbles.

Dawkins is an emotional leader on Philly's defense, and it shows with his energy and fire on the field. During the Eagles' three-game winning streak, Dawkins has amassed 33 tackles, two interceptions and a sack in victories over Carolina, Washington and the Giants.

After straining a calf muscle in pre-game workouts at Giants Stadium, Dawkins headed back to the locker room before becoming the defense's vocal leader for 60 minutes.

"I look forward to this," Dawkins said. "I'm having a ball. Having to make plays or standing up in these times, I'm happy that I'm making those plays. I'm blessed to play this game, and I do what I do on that field because of that."

Before the season, many questions surfaced in regard to whether Dawkins has lost a step in the secondary. After 15 weeks of football, Dawkins is still making plays and continues to stamp a big NO on the loss of his speed.

UP NEXT: T.O. UNDER THE MISTLETOE

Eagles fans hope to have something other than chestnuts roasting on an open fire this Christmas day. But before anything like that can happen, the Eagles' defensive backfield must make sure Owens doesn't roast them.

Owens didn't have the type of return to Philadelphia he wanted in October, so now he gets another chance with the Dallas faithful in his corner. Owens is having a fine season, but so are Philadelphia corners Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown. Add in Brian Dawkins and Sean Considine, and the Eagles are in good shape defending the pass.

Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo will get a first-hand glimpse of the Philadelphia/Dallas rivalry which dates back decades. Dallas head coach Bill Parcells will try to pound the run before he unleashes Romo and the aerial assault, even though the Eagles handled the run against the Giants last week. After shutting down Tiki Barber and Brandon Jacobs, the Eagles have another dynamic duo to stop in Julius Jones and Marion Barber this week.

Rouleette Football Betting News

<< G-Men are down, but not out
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philadelphia entered the Meadowlands on Sunday and punched the Giants square in the mouth, beating them at their own game. Even Giants head coach Tom Coughlin said during a radio interview on Monday that stopping the run i

<< Jets keep hope alive in Minnesota
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - "Just when I thought that I was out, they pull me back in." There is not much to like, or remember, about Godfather III, but Michael Corleone's signature line in that movie pretty much sums up my feelings towards the New Y

<< Nets continue homestand vs. Cavs
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New Jersey Nets continue their homestand tonight as they welcome the Cleveland Cavaliers to town for a battle at Continental Airlines Arena. New Jersey is 1-1 on its four-game homestand and defeated Golden State by a

<< Bobcats, Knicks battle at MSG
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New York Knicks continue their homestand tonight when they welcome the Charlotte Bobcats to Madison Square Garden. New York is 1-1 on the homestand and defeated Utah, 97-96, in overtime on Monday night. Stephon Marbu

<< Status Quo for Lions
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Lions have never beaten Brett Favre in Lambeau Field, and despite the veteran quarterback's three interceptions, nothing changed this past Sunday. Detroit lost for the 12th time this season (and seventh time in se

No end in sight for LT's dream season >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LaDainian Tomlinson has been busy shattering records all season long, but this year it is clear that the superstar running back's ambitions go well beyond personal achievements. Tomlinson's legend is growing with each pass

Man U inks Saha to four-year deal >>
Manchester, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Despite his current contract not expiring for another two full years, Manchester United forward Louis Saha signed a deal on Wednesday that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2010, further

Leinart loses battle of rookie quarterbacks >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arizona's Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler of Denver will probably be compared to each other for years to come. Both were taken in the first round of the 2006 draft; Leinart was grabbed 10th overall, Cutler one pick later. N

Bucs prove they'll fight to the bitter end >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Gruden is not into moral victories. Neither are his players. However, the hard-nosed Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and his troops had to feel at least some sense of satisfaction after nearly pulling off the biggest upse

Injuries, inconsistency plague Browns once again >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Browns lost another game this past Sunday. That should have come as no surprise, considering they were facing a very good Baltimore Ravens squad on the road. Romeo Crennel's troops displayed grit, fighting ba

Online Sportsbook Football Betting

Colts give the ‘D’ its due

The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.

They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.

"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."

Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.

New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.

Not so sound on the ground

If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.

Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com

“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.

Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.

Brees says bring it on

Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.

Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.

Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.

"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."

SportsBooks ready for a shootout

Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.

“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”

New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.

The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.

“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football betting needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts US credit cards

Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends

We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS.  Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned.  For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go.  As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190).  Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”.   By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet.  For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction.  On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later.  Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick.  Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com

New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
 New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season. 
 
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls

Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times. 
 
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season. 
 
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers

In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS. 
 
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”.  With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit.  Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.

About MySportsbook.com MySportsbook.com  is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your basketball sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.