Can Rams Find Left Column Against Cardinals?

Football Betting Lines

10/05/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Rams will try to avoid their second 0-5 start in five years this Sunday, when they welcome the NFC West-rival Arizona Cardinals to Edward Jones Dome.

St. Louis fell to 0-4 after getting routed by the Dallas Cowboys, 35-7, in Week 4. Dante Hall accounted for the Rams' lone points of the game when he took a punt 85 yards to the end zone in the second quarter. However, St. Louis did little else on offense or defense and fell to 0-4 for the first time since it dropped its first five games of the 2002 campaign.

While the Rams came into the 2007 season with what was expected to be a subpar defense, few though St. Louis would struggle so much on offense, a unit that currently ranks last in the NFL in points (9.8 per game) and 29th in yards (265.5 per game).

Hence, it is a good thing the Rams brought in Hall in the offseason, as his punt return for a score last Sunday was the sixth of his career, most among active players. It was also Hall's 12th career touchdown return, which is tied for second-most in NFL history, and his next scoring return will tie him with Brian Mitchell for first all-time.

St. Louis will need Hall to set them up with good field position, as both running back Steven Jackson and quarterback Marc Bulger are banged up. The Rams already know that Jackson will miss his second straight game due to a partial groin tear suffered in Week 3. However, Bulger's status is less certain.

The Pro Bowl quarterback has been playing with cracked ribs, though head coach Scott Linehan said on Monday he would be sticking with Bulger despite the injury. However, Linehan changed his mind on Wednesday, announcing that backup Gus Frerotte will start against the Cardinals.

Frerotte saw action last week against Dallas when Bulger was pulled late after the Rams fell behind.

The Rams still have hope in the NFC West, as just one of their four losses this year has come against a division foe, a setback to San Francisco in Week 2.

While St. Louis is going to its backup quarterback, the Cardinals will most likely continue their dual-QB system on Sunday.

Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt began using both Matt Leinart and Kurt Warner in the same game in Week 3, using Warner in no-huddle packages. It didn't translate into a win that week, as the club fell to Baltimore.

However, Whisenhunt gave it a go again last weekend and Arizona knocked off the previously undefeated Steelers, 21-14. Leinart threw for 93 yards while splitting time with Warner, and was under center for what turned out to be the game-winning drive that culminated with a two-yard touchdown run by Edgerrin James in the fourth quarter. Warner, meanwhile, ended with 132 yards throwing with a touchdown pass.

The Cardinals also got a return for a touchdown out of rookie Steve Breaston, who took a punt 73 yards early in the fourth quarter to break a 7-7 tie. It was Arizona's first punt return for a TD since 1993.

Arizona won despite being without rookie offensive lineman Levi Brown (ankle) and standout wide receiver Anquan Boldin (hip). Boldin has unable to go in practice this week and appears doubtful to play Sunday. Brown had limited practice participation and is questionable for the game.

The victory improved the Cardinals to 2-2 on the year, and this Sunday's matchup with the Rams is Arizona's third against an NFC West opponent this season. The club lost to San Francisco in Week 1 before besting Seattle the following Sunday.

The Cards are currently even with the 49ers for second place in the West standings, one game behind the 3-1 Seattle Seahawks.

SERIES HISTORY

The Rams hold a 30-24-2 lead in the all-time series with Arizona and have earned unconventional home-and-home splits with the Cardinals in each of the last two seasons. In 2006, the Rams were 16-14 winners at University of Phoenix Stadium in Week 3, but 34-20 losers at the Edward Jones Dome in Week 13. The road team has now won four straight in the series. The teams also split in 2004, with the hosts winning both ends of the home-and-home.

The Rams won the only postseason meeting between the two, with the then-Los Angeles-based franchise pulling out a 35-23 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in a 1975 NFC Divisional Playoff.

Linehan is 1-1 against the Cardinals as a head coach. Whisenhunt will be meeting both Linehan and the Rams for the first time as a head coach.

WHEN THE CARDINALS HAVE THE BALL

Given Whisenhunt's confidence in a young Ben Roethlisberger when he was in Pittsburgh, it was somewhat surprising that he went to Warner (390 passing yards, 3 TD, 0 INT) so early in the season. However, the former Ram has won an MVP and Super Bowl and has outplayed the second-year Leinart so far. Leinart (547 passing yards, 2 TD, 3 INT) is without a doubt on a short leash, as the club may be looking for an excuse to go with Warner as the starter. With Boldin out, Larry Fitzgerald (26 receptions) had a huge game against Pittsburgh, posting 11 catches for 123 yards. He has yet to find the end zone this season, but has hauled in a touchdown catch in each of his last three games versus the Rams. Wide receiver Jerheme Urban stepped up last weekend and made five catches for 53 yards with a TD catch, while Bryant Johnson started in place of Boldin and had three receptions for 37 yards.

One thing Whisenhunt has continued to do this year -- and something Arizona couldn't do last year -- is establish the run. In addition to his two-yard score, James (354 yards, 3 TD) ran for 77 yards on 21 attempts in the win over the Steelers.

With the Rams struggling to move or control the ball, St. Louis' defense is seeing a lot of action. That is not a good thing for a unit that is 26th in the league in both points allowed (25.8) and yards allowed (349.2). While they are ranked ninth in the league against the pass, another reason the Rams are losing the clock battle is because St. Louis is giving up 157 rushing yards per game, 29th in the NFL. Safety Corey Chavous (24 tackles) led the Rams with seven tackles and a sack last week, but the former Cardinal suffered a pectoral injury last week and is likely to miss Sunday's game. St. Louis has just six total sacks and one interception through four games this season -- an obvious sign of a lack of pressure. Safety O.J. Atogwe (22 tackles) picked up St. Louis' first interception of the season last week versus Dallas, leading a secondary that will again be without corner Tye Hill (back) this week. However, corner Fakhir Brown is eligible to return from his four-game suspension for violating the league's NFL Substance Abuse Policy. Leading tackler Will Witherspoon (23 tackles) added another six to his total last weekend.

WHEN THE RAMS HAVE THE BALL

Bulger (765 passing yards, 2 TD, 4 INT) suffered through a miserable outing last weekend, completing only 11 of his 24 pass attempts for 114 yards with an interception. He hasn't thrown a touchdown pass since Week 2 and was lifted from the Dallas game in favor of Frerotte, who threw for 29 yards on 3-of-6 passing. Torry Holt (23 receptions, 2 TD) continued to be St. Louis' most reliable player, hauling in five passes for 52 yards in the loss. Holt has enjoyed recent success against the Cardinals, having caught at touchdown pass in four straight contests versus the Cardinals. Holt may have to again shoulder the load this week, as fellow wideout Issac Bruce (15 receptions) is questionable after suffering a hamstring injury last week and missed considerable practice time this week. That should mean more snaps for first- year Ram Drew Bennett, who has just six catches since joining the club this offseason.

One thing working against Frerotte is that he will most likely be behind yet another different offensive line combination. Since Week 1, the Rams have lost left tackle Orlando Pace and left guard Mark Setterstrom for the season due to injury, while right guard Richie Incognito has missed the club's first four games with an ankle sprain. Tackle Adam Goldberg became the latest victim, as he suffered a knee injury against Dallas and will be sidelined for at least four weeks. Incognito appears ready to return to action, which would be good news for running back Brian Leonard. The rookie made his first career start last week in place of Jackson and ran for 58 yards in the loss.

While Arizona's quarterback carousel was the main storyline out of last week's win, the defense may have played an even bigger role. The club held Steelers running back Willie Parker under 100 yards rushing for the first time this season, as the explosive back ran for only 37 yards on 19 carries. The secondary also got in the act, as safety Adrian Wilson (32 tackles, 1 INT) had five tackles and intercepted Roethlisberger in the end zone, while corner Ralph Brown's pick with 10 seconds left sealed the win. Wilson and Brown's interceptions were the first two by the Cardinals this year. Linebacker Calvin Pace (19 tackles) led the team with eight tackles last Sunday, while defensive tackle Darnell Dockett (19 tackles, 5.5 sacks) posted a career-high three sacks. Linebacker Karlos Dansby (28 tackles, 2.5 sacks) has two sacks in his past four meetings with St. Louis.

FANTASY FOCUS

At this point, few are worth starting on the Rams. Outside of Holt, no other St. Louis offensive player should get a look until further notice. However, Leonard is worth a look in deep leagues because he will start and has no one behind him to steal carries.

For Arizona, both Warner and Leinart are risky because of the current situation under center, while James has been solid all year and was even good with Levi Brown not in the lineup last week. With Boldin unlikely to go, Fitzgerald's value again gets a big increase this week, as he will be the go- to guy for whoever is throwing for Arizona. Finally, give Arizona's defense/special teams a look this week. After all, the Rams offense has been that bad and Breaston did take a punt to the house in Week 4 to boost his stock.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Yes Virginia, the Rams are that bad. Okay, maybe its too early for Christmas references, but not to give up on St. Louis. The switch to Frerotte shows just how hurt Bulger is, meaning the Rams are without two of their biggest weapons this Sunday. Not good news for a club with a defense as bad as the St. Louis'. Arizona, meanwhile, is responding under Whisenhunt and will stick with the two-quarterback system as long as it works, and it should work this week. Leinart, Warner, James and Fitzgerald will have a field day against St. Louis, while Arizona's defense will pounce on a bewildered Rams' offense. Expect the Cardinals to keep pace in the tight NFC West, while St. Louis will fall further out of the race.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Cardinals 24, Rams 10

Wwwmindspring Football Betting News

<< Falcons, Titans, Both Look to Stay on Winning Track
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Atlanta Falcons will try for back-to-back wins for the first time since last December when they pay a visit to the well-rested Tennessee Titans this Sunday at LP Field. Atlanta recorded its first win of the 2007 season

<< Three share Dunhill lead
St. Andrews, Scotland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Australian Peter O'Malley fired an eight-under 64 Friday to move into a share of the lead after two rounds of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. O'Malley completed 36 holes at 11-under-par 133

<< Dilfer Seeks to Prove Mettle In Niners-Ravens Battle
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trent Dilfer will get another opportunity to show the Baltimore Ravens they made a mistake on Sunday, when the San Francisco 49ers quarterback faces his former team at Monster Park in a Week 5 grudge match. Dilfer led the

<< Reeling Saints, Panthers, Meet In Crescent City
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - This week's matchup between the New Orleans Saints and the Carolina Panthers was supposed to be an early challenge for NFC South supremacy. Instead, it's a battle between two of the most confounding teams in the National

<< Can Bears Hand Packers Loss Number One?
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The undefeated Green Bay Packers will attempt to extend their lengthy winning streak this Sunday night, when they play host to the struggling Chicago Bears at historic Lambeau Field. The Packers improved to 4-0 with a 23-1

Bodine leads Toyota charge in truck qualifying >>
Talladega, AL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Todd Bodine captured the pole for Saturday afternoon's Mountain Dew 250 Craftsman Truck Series race at the Talladega Superspeedway. The No.30 Germain Toyota circled the giant 2.66-mile track in 52.670

Chivas still has a lot to play for against Real >>
Salt Lake City, UT (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chivas USA has a playoff spot locked up, but it's still playing for the top spot in the Western Conference and the best record in Major League Soccer. Chivas, which is tied with Houston atop the West but

Henin reaches Porsche semis; Kuznetsova drives out Serena >>
Stuttgart, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - World No. 1 star Justine Henin was among Friday's quarterfinal winners, as was U.S. Open runner-up Svetlana Kuznetsova, who drove out Australian Open titlist Serena Williams at the $650,00

Cougars sign Farber to contract extension >>
Stockton, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The California Cougars signed midfielder Brian Farber to a contract extension on Wednesday. Farber scored 22 goals last season and had 53 points, which ranked 14th in the Major Indoor Soccer League. "His s

Kings' Abdur-Rahim and Hawes out with knee injuries >>
Sacramento, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Sacramento Kings announced on Friday that veteran forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim and rookie center Spencer Hawes will both miss time this preseason with knee injuries. Abdur-Rahim, who underwent arth

College Football Betting Tips From a Pro

While the NFL is the sport wagered on the heaviest, college football betting lines has become more and more popular as people realize it’s a game that can be beat. The NCAA football season gets longer each year with the addition of numerous bowl games and with that comes more opportunities for more money in your pocket, if handled correctly.

Betting on college football is not the same as with the NFL, so make sure you separate the two. Because of the vast number of teams, the parity between college football programs is slight and thus, you are going to see some high numbers in the NCAA. Teams favored by more than 40 points are not uncommon especially early in the season when teams playing their non-conference schedules.

The best advice when trying to tackle these enormous spreads and is to just stay away. A team that is favored by 40 points is favored by that many for a reason while teams getting 40 points are bad enough that they shouldn’t be touched. Set yourself a spread limit. Getting rid of these games will cut down on the number of contests that you need to handicap while staying away from backdoor or front-door covers.

What is a backdoor and front-door cover you ask? A backdoor cover is a team that is getting beat by more than the spread, but scores late to get within that number thus covering the spread. A front-door cover is just the opposite where the favorite scores late and covers the number they are favored by.

These front-door and backdoor covers are common when second and third string players enter games in college football and it can be the worst nightmare for some bettors. These players can also be your best friend, but ask any bettor and he will give you more instances on losing in this situation than winning. It just seems to work out that way even though everything evens out in the end.

College football betting has some of the softest lines of any sport and it’s being able to find these lines that will make you a successful college football handicapper. The NFL and NBA have the tightest lines around and while those sports can be beat by looking at situations and systems, college football doesn’t quite work that way. It’s much more manual, but when done correctly, it’s much more gratifying as well.

Getting into the nuts and bolts of college football means looking at the many stats in order to beat the number. As opposed to pro football, college football is less dependent on situations and angles and more on certain statistics. Rushing offense and defense, pass efficiency offense and defense and turnover margins are huge. These are vital in the NFL, but even more so when it comes to college football.

Being able to run the ball in college football has always been a key factor in the overall success of a team. The same adage also goes for teams who have the ability to stop the run. Putting these two factors together can produce some positive results in a team’s record both straight up and against the spread. These numbers show huge differences in teams and the spread may not take those into effect, which is where the value comes into play.

Passing yardage numbers both for and against can be a misinterpreted statistic. However, pass efficiency has always been one of the best ways to look at a teams’ passing game ability both offensively and defensively. But is it really a true indication of how they perform? I wouldn’t say so since they are raw passing numbers with nothing else taken into consideration.

I use pass efficiency ratings when doing my handicapping but I adjust my numbers based on a number of factors including power ratings, strength of schedules, personnel and injuries. This gives a much better picture of a team’s ability to pass effectively and also being able to defend the pass. Tweaking pass efficiency stats instead of raw passing yards is the key.

Turnovers are the single most frustrating, and at times the most gratifying, aspect of a college football lines, mostly because they are so unpredictable. They are part of the game and most of the time nothing can be done to control them. However, turnovers are contagious and they can carry over from game to game and season to season.

It’s important to know how to forecast these unforeseen events and how to use them to your advantage. You can find ways to give yourself an edge by looking at past histories of teams and coaches and how they have fared in turnover wars in the past. Instead of turnovers hurting you at the wrong times, find ways to use them to your advantage.

As you can see, college football handicapping is very labor intensive and isn’t just based on where teams are ranked in the AP and coaches polls. Experience, coaching and match-ups are all important since unlike the NFL, college teams turn over much more often with new personnel at most positions every single year. Keeping current on this information is vital.

Betting NCAA football can be lucrative if done correctly, but more importantly, it’s just plain enjoyable because it can be beat. College football is one of the best sports to watch with some of the best rivalries taking place in all of sports. The only downfall is that a championship isn’t decided on the field but on a computer-based system that is the Bowl Championship Series. That will change someday and we will all be better off for it.

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