Saints grind out 14-9 win over Vikings in opener
Football Betting Lines
09/10/2010 -
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - The New Orleans Saints opened their title defense by winning with defense.
Jonathan Vilma intercepted Brett Favre, and the Saints allowed the Minnesota Vikings only two first downs and no points in the second half of a hard-fought 14-9 victory in the NFL's regular season opener on Thursday night.
How unusual was that kind of result for New Orleans?
In Sean Payton's first four seasons as head coach, the Saints led the NFL in offense three times and had never won when scoring fewer than 19 points.
With Favre being held to 171 yards passing, the Vikings relied heavily on Adrian Peterson, who had 122 yards rushing and three touchdowns when these teams last met in the 2009 NFC title game. In the rematch, he managed only 87 yards on 19 carries and did not score.
``To hold a team like that with a damn good quarterback and probably the best running back in the league and a really good offensive line, we did some special things,'' said Saints defensive end Alex Brown, who joined the team as a free agent after their Super Bowl win. ``It's going to take a hell of a team to beat us. We're just 1-0, but we are a really good team here.''
Drew Brees completed 27 of 36 passes for 237 yards and one touchdown, a 29-yarder to Devery Henderson. That was far from Brees' best, but good enough.
``We're not used to 14-9 victories, but we're used to winning,'' said Brees, the reigning Super Bowl MVP. ``So we like the W.''
Pierre Thomas added a 1-yard TD early in the second half that put the Saints ahead for good.
Payton said he ``was proud of the way we came through and made enough plays to start the season 1-0.''
``Defensively we did a very good job of holding against the run and still taking some of the downfield throws away,'' the coach said.
This latest meeting of the Vikings and Saints was far different from the turnover-filled, back-and-forth overtime thriller that the Saints pulled out, 31-28, for the NFC title last January.
There wasn't nearly as much at stake this time, and while the game was competitive, the energy on the field and in the stadium wasn't the same - perhaps because fans were tired from a day filled with festivities that included a concert in the French Quarter, a parade and the unfurling of the 2009 Super Bowl championship banner before kickoff.
The only turnover of the game came on Favre's interception - the result of a ball thrown under duress on Roman Harper's safety blitz.
Also unlike their previous meeting, the Saints owned most of the statistical advantages, outgaining Minnesota 308 yards to 253.
New Orleans might have won more easily if not for two missed field goals by Garrett Hartley, who kicked the game-winning field goal in the last meeting and was one of the Saints' playoff heroes.
Still, New Orleans was able to kneel on the ball to run out most of the last two minutes after Thomas capped a 71-yard performance with a 10-yard, first-down run right after the 2-minute warning.
The 40-year-old Favre, who decided to return for a 20th season after an ankle operation, looked out of synch or inaccurate at times. The fact that Minnesota was without star receiver Sidney Rice may have had something to do with that, although Favre said, ``I just missed on some throws I should have made.''
Favre's best sequence came on Minnesota's only touchdown drive late in the first half, when he found Vinsanthe Shiancoe on precision down-the-middle completions of 33 and 20 yards, the second for the Vikings' only TD.
That gave Minnesota a 9-7 halftime lead.
``We were right where we wanted to be at halftime, then it was three-and-out, three-and-out,'' Vikings coach Brad Childress said. ``There were not a lot of throws to be made downfield. They were going to hold us down and make us bleed slowly.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - A loud crash. A crumpled front end. A brief stay in an ambulance.It was a very bad start to Tom Brady's day.A new contract. The highest average salary in the NFL. A deal that ties him to the New England Patriots through 2014
<< Giants down Padres to begin key series
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Matt Cain threw eight-plus solid innings and
was backed by an offense that smacked four home runs, as the San Francisco
Giants beat the San Diego Padres, 7-3, in the opener of a critical four-game
series.
<< Colorado travels for inter-conference match-up with Red Bulls
Harrison, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Colorado Rapids travel to take on Red Bull
New York on Saturday in an inter-conference clash between the two Major league
Soccer clubs at Red Bull Arena.
Colorado (9-6-7) is riding high after two straig
<< United, TFC square off at BMO for 'important game'
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Last-placed D.C. United travels to take on a
desperate Toronto FC club on Saturday afternoon in Major League Soccer action
at BMO Field.
The Reds (7-9-7) are in must-win mode if they have any hope of m
<< Findley misses PK as RSL, Seattle battle to draw
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders FC battled
to a scoreless draw in Major League Soccer action in front of over 36,000
fans at Qwest Field on Thursday night.
RSL (12-4-8) moves into a tie with Columbus
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Before they've made a single tackle, the St. Louis Rams' starting linebackers have some notoriety. James Laurinaitis, Na'il Diggs and Larry Grant all played at Ohio State.``It's funny how all the stars kind of align,'' Laurinaitis s
Hogs can expect the unexpected against La.-Monroe >>
Louisiana-Monroe will have one factor in its favor when it tries to pull off the upset against No. 14 Arkansas: the element of mystery.The Warhawks are only now playing their season opener, and that means no scouting report from last weekend to help
Florida CB Brown making gains after years of pain >>
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -Just hours before Florida's season opener, cornerback Jeremy Brown was still wearing a protective boot on his right foot.A teammate landed on him in practice earlier in the week, leaving Brown on crutches and out of the start
LSU's versatile Shepard sees himself as play maker >>
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -Russell Shepard's career at LSU isn't turning out quite as he had envisioned, and that might be the best thing that ever happened to him.The Tigers' quarterback-turned-wide receiver has remade his game in the mold of dynamic p
No. 9 Iowa understandably wary of Iowa St >>
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -The rivalry between Iowa and Iowa State has become predictable.The Hawkeyes are usally expected to pound the underdog Cyclones - and it usually doesn't happen.Iowa State has made life miserable for the rival Hawkeyes, winning s
MySportsbook.com: New College Football Clock Rules Examined
Coaches and bettors alike are desperate to make sense of the new time-keeping rules on the NCAA gridiron. One of the big stories to come out of the Ohio State-Texas clash last weekend was Texas coach Mack Brown's criticism of the NCAA's new clock rules that are intended to shorten the duration of college football games, therefore affecting college football betting.
"They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything," Brown told ESPN.com. "I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."
Sure, it might be sour grapes; the Buckeyes thoroughly trounced the defending national champion Longhorns 24-7. However, Brown isn't alone in giving the changes their due thought. Bettors are also wondering about them, albeit for a completely different reason. Most experts agree that the changes will result in games being shortened by anywhere from 10 to 20 plays. The obvious consequence is lower scores, with more time rolling off the clock during changes of possession. (The Ohio State-Texas game flew well under the total of 52.)
According to research at the online sportsbook MySportsbook.com, more than 18 plays a game disappeared last weekend into thin air. That's a 10-percent reduction. In 2005, a typical game had 168.58 plays. For 2007 already, it's down to 150.26.
As a result, teams combined to gain an average of about 100 fewer yards a game last weekend versus the 2005 openers. Scoring was also down by about 4.5 points (attention Las Vegas sports lines).
Of course, oddsmakers were able to adjust to the changes before the season started. Proof of that came as the over went a balanced 8-9 at My Sportsbook on Saturday.
Other angles to consider:A shorter game should theoretically result in shorter lines. Whereas Team A might have been a 14-point favorite in a 168-play game (last year), if there are 10 percent less snaps in 2007, the line should also be reduced by 10 percent (to 13 or 12.5). Of course, this is an over-simplification of the matter, but something to keep in mind.
Less possessions means a better chance the game will be decided by three or seven points. For example, what might have been a 20-10 final score in 2005 may end at
17-10 in 2007. Granted, a 24-17 game last year might end at 21-17 these days, but the former - a three- or seven-point advantage being preserved as opposed to created - is the most likely scenario.
*UPDATE* - Sept. 25, 2007
New Clock Rules Boon for online bookmakers
By adjusting the time-keeping rules to shorten the duration of college football games, the NCAA hoped to make its product more enjoyable for the fans. While the NCAA's success in this regard is still up for debate, bookmakers couldn't be happier with the results.
"We are seeing a massive jump in college football betting," noted the MySportsbook.com management team. "With all the early Saturday games (12 a.m. ET) ending before the second wave begins (3:30 p.m. ET) - something that didn't always happen before the changes - bettors are now able to re-invest their winnings from the morning session in the afternoon games."
While not all bettors will choose to roll over their winnings, it doesn't take much for an impact to be seen on the bottom line. "Not all of the millions of dollars in morning payouts get re-bet. In fact, it's probably only 10 to 20 percent," noted the sportsbook management team. "Still, the increased football betting lines window will create a ton of growth for us over the course of the season."
About MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker
Since opening in 1997, MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker has been a leader in Internet wagering, providing single account access for sports and casino play. This sportsbook has a revolutionary payment method, Direct Bank Transfer, gives players a faster and more secure transaction option for both deposits and withdrawals. This Internet Sportsbook takes pride in offering an aggressive VIP rewards program, along with seasonal reduced juice specials and high parlay payout odds. MySportsbook.com has set new standards in the sports betting industry, from their fantastic customer service, industry leading bonuses, extensive selection of wager types and props, to the fastest payouts anywhere... MySportsbook.com is America's Sportsbook! Open an account today at MySportsbook.com Sports Casino Poker, or call toll-free 1-866-238-6648
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook accepts Master Card needs.
MySportsbook.com week 1 NFL lines
Now that the 2008 NFL schedule is finally out, it is only matter-of-course for lines on “Week 1” to follow. Of course MySportsbook.com is the first to churn out odds for the NFL’s inaugural week for the upcoming season. Expect a lot of fireworks the first Thursday night of the season as the defending champion Indianapolis Colts face off against the surprise of the 2008 season, the New Orleans Saints. These teams were ranked #1 and #3 in the NFL respectively a season ago so a high scoring affair could be in order. As of now, the Colts will be giving 6 points to the Saints; keep in mind the Saints were one of the better road teams last season going 6-3 SU and 7-2 ATS. The first Monday night of the season will again provide a “double feature”. Coming off a disappointing season, the Cincinnati Bengals will look to get back to playoffs and improve their public image as they take on the AFC North favorite Baltimore Ravens. The second game features a couple of teams that haven’t had too much success recently but each could make some noise if the NFC is as weak as it was last year as the San Francisco 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals. The most interesting game of the opening week will feature the NFC champion Bears as they hit the road to take on the NFL’s top team during last year’s regular season, the San Diego Chargers.
MySportsbook.com Week 1 odds:
Saints +6 @ Colts -6
Falcons @ Vikings (pick ‘em)
Panthers @ Rams (pick ‘em)
Broncos -3.5 @ Bills +3.5
Chiefs -1 @ Texans +1
Dolphins +3 @ Redskins -3
Patriots -5 @ Jets +5
Eagles -3.5 @ Packers +3.5
Steelers -4 @ Browns +4
Titans +6 @ Jaguars -6
Bears +6 @ Chargers -6
Lions +3 @ Raiders -3
Bucs +6.5 @ Seahawks -6.5
Giants +4 @ Cowboys -4
Ravens +3 @ Bengals -3
Cardinals +3 @ 49ers -3
Super Bowl line (2008)
NFC +6.5 vs. AFC -6.5
MySportsbook is a large, publicly traded company with strong financial backing. You will find their customer service is second to none and their web site is extremely user friendly and easy-to-use. All major professional sports games are available. Once you signup with MySportsbook, you may never use another online sportsbook again.
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your football sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.