QB Rex Grossman and company will be looking for a win for head coach Lovie Smith, who will be facing his former team in the preseason for the second straight year. Smith served as defensive coordinator for the Rams from 2001 through 2003. QB Marc Bulger and wideouts Torry Holt and Isaac Bruce;are are not expected to play much here. Don’t look for Mike Martz to take too many chances with Bulger, especially behind an unsettled offensive line.rookie Alex Barron is expected to man the right tackle position in '05, but Barron has missed five days and nine practices of training camp. "My biggest concern in the offensive line," coach Mike Martz said. "Right now, we've got a rookie starting left guardMost teams play light defenses during the preseason, but some will resort to blitzing, and that usually gives a team an advantage. Teams who blitz a lot during preseason often do well because their opponents aren’t ready for it with backup linemen. Chicago’s defense knocked Dolphins’ QB A.J. Feeley out of the game on a blitz by Brian Urlacher. The defense also blitzed linebacker Lance Briggs, safeties and cornerbacks at times. While most teams play it "vanilla" on defense so as not to tip their hand, the Bears’ DC Rov Rivera doesn't like that approach. "The truth of the matter is we do what we do," Rivera said. "If the situation calls for it, the down and distance dictates it, the ball position allows for it, yeah, we're going to run a pressure or we're going to play coverage. It's all a part of what we do."
Finally, Chicago should benefit from having a game under their belts, and now playing an opponent making its preseason debut. Week 1 teams not favored by 4+ points are 68% spread winners in such a situation over 66 games. Despite, the short 4-day layoff, I like the Bears here as 3-point dogs in St. Louis.
Chic +3
Despite Jeff Fisher’s preseason success over the past couple of year, they figure to have their hands full with the Bucs here for 2 main reasons. First, of all give Tampa the edge with their QB rotation: For Tennessee, Steve McNair will get some early work, followed by Billy Volek, and rookie Gino Guidugli will be the third QB in line. QB Shane Boyd will be fourth in line, should the Titans make it that deep. These unproven rookies can be expected to struggle against the Buccaneers defensive schemes. For Tampa Bay, Brain Griese will start and Chris Simms will follow by the second quarter. Luke McCown will then take over for the Bucs offense in the final quarter of Friday's game against the Titans, giving the team a rotation of QBs who all have experience as an NFL starter.
Week 1 road teams off a season with less than 10 SU wins the previous year are a solid 16-4 ATS vs. opponents off less than 7 SU victories from their prior season. This is likely to be low-scoring defensive struggle, but I look for the Buc’s QB edge late in the game to be the difference in Tampa beating the spread and Tennessee.
The Titans don’t figure to pile up the points while testing a new offense against a stiff Bucs’ “D”. Tampa should do their part in keeping the scoring down as well. Their offensive line is in flux, and they will likely work on their running game. Both teams are struggling to find a consistent kicker, so a few missed kicks may also figure in keeping the final UNDER the total. much like the GB last night. Tampa has seen 7 of their last 8 Week 1 preseason games go UNDER the total, and 11 of their last 14 Week 1 and 2 contests. Meanwhile, both of the Titans’ last 2 openers have gone UNDER as well, and I hope to look for a minimal amount of points here as well.
TB +2.5 Under 36
Minnesota begins life without Randy Moss on the field Friday night, when they host Kansas City in both teams’ preseason opener. Quarterback Daunte Culpepper will be looking for new targets, although top draft choice Troy Williamson is not expected to be in the starting lineup due to a foot injury. Also gone from Minnesota this season is offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who is now the OC in Miami. Steve Loney, who formerly coached the Viking offensive line, will guide the offense in 2005. Several key players for both offenses are not expected to suit up, especially on the lines. Minnesota coach Mike Tice wants the team to be more physical this season, so look for them to concentrate on smash-mouth football, which means running the ball. They are certainly confident in Daunte Culpepper’s ability to pass the ball. Preseason is for working on weaknesses
We all know that KC was bad at "D" for the past few years.Defense was the glaring weakness for both teams, so that is where each team is putting the most emphasis here. The Chiefs have been talking a lot in their Wisconsin training camp about how they must develop a new more demanding, aggressive, turnover-forcing, almost violent approach if they are ever to turn around their sorry defense of recent years, while Vikings DC, Ted Cottrell, said of his defense after the team's first intra-squad scrimmage, "We're ready to kick some butt."
this game points to and under and it will happen tonight.
It all adds up to a low-scoring game with both defenses trying to get some confidence against offenses that should be very vanilla for this game. In addition, KC has played their last SEVEN dome games UNDER the posted total in preseason, and look for that trend to continue here.
KC/MINN under 43
no right up for this one but I will also take Sea ++2.5
Chic +3 1 unit
TB +2.5 under 36 1/2 units each
KC Minn U43 1/2 unit
Sea +2.5 1/2 unit
YTD 1-2-1 -3.35
Finally, Chicago should benefit from having a game under their belts, and now playing an opponent making its preseason debut. Week 1 teams not favored by 4+ points are 68% spread winners in such a situation over 66 games. Despite, the short 4-day layoff, I like the Bears here as 3-point dogs in St. Louis.
Chic +3
Despite Jeff Fisher’s preseason success over the past couple of year, they figure to have their hands full with the Bucs here for 2 main reasons. First, of all give Tampa the edge with their QB rotation: For Tennessee, Steve McNair will get some early work, followed by Billy Volek, and rookie Gino Guidugli will be the third QB in line. QB Shane Boyd will be fourth in line, should the Titans make it that deep. These unproven rookies can be expected to struggle against the Buccaneers defensive schemes. For Tampa Bay, Brain Griese will start and Chris Simms will follow by the second quarter. Luke McCown will then take over for the Bucs offense in the final quarter of Friday's game against the Titans, giving the team a rotation of QBs who all have experience as an NFL starter.
Week 1 road teams off a season with less than 10 SU wins the previous year are a solid 16-4 ATS vs. opponents off less than 7 SU victories from their prior season. This is likely to be low-scoring defensive struggle, but I look for the Buc’s QB edge late in the game to be the difference in Tampa beating the spread and Tennessee.
The Titans don’t figure to pile up the points while testing a new offense against a stiff Bucs’ “D”. Tampa should do their part in keeping the scoring down as well. Their offensive line is in flux, and they will likely work on their running game. Both teams are struggling to find a consistent kicker, so a few missed kicks may also figure in keeping the final UNDER the total. much like the GB last night. Tampa has seen 7 of their last 8 Week 1 preseason games go UNDER the total, and 11 of their last 14 Week 1 and 2 contests. Meanwhile, both of the Titans’ last 2 openers have gone UNDER as well, and I hope to look for a minimal amount of points here as well.
TB +2.5 Under 36
Minnesota begins life without Randy Moss on the field Friday night, when they host Kansas City in both teams’ preseason opener. Quarterback Daunte Culpepper will be looking for new targets, although top draft choice Troy Williamson is not expected to be in the starting lineup due to a foot injury. Also gone from Minnesota this season is offensive coordinator Scott Linehan, who is now the OC in Miami. Steve Loney, who formerly coached the Viking offensive line, will guide the offense in 2005. Several key players for both offenses are not expected to suit up, especially on the lines. Minnesota coach Mike Tice wants the team to be more physical this season, so look for them to concentrate on smash-mouth football, which means running the ball. They are certainly confident in Daunte Culpepper’s ability to pass the ball. Preseason is for working on weaknesses
We all know that KC was bad at "D" for the past few years.Defense was the glaring weakness for both teams, so that is where each team is putting the most emphasis here. The Chiefs have been talking a lot in their Wisconsin training camp about how they must develop a new more demanding, aggressive, turnover-forcing, almost violent approach if they are ever to turn around their sorry defense of recent years, while Vikings DC, Ted Cottrell, said of his defense after the team's first intra-squad scrimmage, "We're ready to kick some butt."
this game points to and under and it will happen tonight.
It all adds up to a low-scoring game with both defenses trying to get some confidence against offenses that should be very vanilla for this game. In addition, KC has played their last SEVEN dome games UNDER the posted total in preseason, and look for that trend to continue here.
KC/MINN under 43
no right up for this one but I will also take Sea ++2.5
Chic +3 1 unit
TB +2.5 under 36 1/2 units each
KC Minn U43 1/2 unit
Sea +2.5 1/2 unit
YTD 1-2-1 -3.35
