Sunday NFL Info

[jtsneaks]

Let’s be honest. There’s no subtlety here. We can’t wait for football to finally start.

But is anyone really planning to watch Sunday’s Hall of Fame game, let alone bet on the Oakland Raiders-Philadelphia Eagles matchup?

“Zero,” Bowmans (Bowmans.com) bet shop manager Scott Kaminsky said when asked how much betting action the Raiders-Eagles game would bring.

Kaminsky wasn’t being totally facetious.

“Everybody’s excited football is back,” he says. “They’re getting reports from camp on how all the teams and their favorite players are doing. Everyone is buzzing about the first week. But, in actuality, people won’t bet this game.

“First of all, the starters only will play one or two series. I’m sure if you checked the TV ratings it won’t be very high. There’s not a real lot of interest in preseason. The handle is very small. Interest starts in Week 1.”

Aaron Brooks is going to start for the Raiders. Don’t blink, though, or you`ll miss him.

As for the Eagles, do you really want to watch Reno Mahe run the ball? Maybe even return punts? He did lead the NFL in punt return average last season. Mahe figures to get carries from scrimmage considering Brian Westbrook has stomach flu, Correll Buckhalter is recovering from two knee surgeries the last two years and Ryan Moats has strained knee ligaments.

There’s no reason for Andy Reid to take a chance on these guys. There’s no reason for any starters to play much, at all, in the first of a ridiculous six preseason games for his team. By the time the Eagles get done playing the New York Jets a second time to conclude preseason, every Philly player may have caught a pass, including kicker David Akers.

And that’s one of the problems bettors have with team’s opening exhibition games. Oh, excuse me – preseason games.

“The NFL is the most popular wagering sport,” Kaminsky says. “Why? Because the general public feels they can identify with the players. They feel they know how good and bad the teams are. How many times do you hear anyone say did you bet college baseball? Their answer is what do I know about college baseball. So they don’t bet it.

“They feel they know something about the NFL. But they don’t feel they know anything about the teams that play in preseason because there are too many scrubs playing.”

The storylines aren’t very compelling, unless you’re intrigued by such questions like is Eagles backup quarterback Jeff Garcia washed up, or how many tackles Raiders free-agent linebacker Timi Wusu makes?

Word has it the Philadelphia boo-birds already are calling Garcia horrible, something fans in Detroit could easily have told them. Terrell Owens isn’t with the Eagles anymore. Good thing for Garcia. Then he’d really hear harsh criticism.

“They (people) might be interested in the beginning since it’s the first game, but then they realize they’re watching a game where they have no idea who’s playing,” said Jay Kornegay, sports book director at the Las Vegas Hilton.

There has been some line movement on the matchup, though. Philadelphia opened -2 and has been bet up to -3 with the total going from 35 ½ to 36 ½.

“Those were money moves,” Kornegay says. “It wasn’t huge public money moving it. It looks like more of a wise guy betting game.”

That’s not a surprise, since professional bettors like to get involved in preseason.

“Wise guys bet more when they find out information on who’s playing and who’s not,” Kaminsky says. “That’s when the steam starts hitting. We’ll definitely write business from the sharp guys then.

“But the general public isn’t interested in playing right now.”

Sneaks

[jtsneaks]

Nearly twenty years after his last Hall of Fame game appearance, Art Shell is back - this time, as the coach of the silver and black, instead of the menacing offensive tackle who was enshrined in 1987.

That’s not to say Shell’s philosophies about the game don’t live on today in his third stop with the Raiders, wwho are 3-point underdogs to the Philadelphia Eagles in the first preseason NFL game of the 2006 season.

His old-school approach and sheer determination to reunite Raiders football and success have people talking.

Especially bettors.

“I think it`s important for the Raiders to get off to a good start after last season`s debacle,” says Cover Expert Matt Fargo, referring to Oakland`s 4-12 record (5-11-0 ATS) last season.

“Whether they can do it or not is a different story but word from camp is that Aaron Brooks has been awesome and has the offense pretty much down already.”

Newcomer Brooks is perhaps the biggest key in unlocking Oakland’s success this year.

Gone, among other things, is the West Coast offense instilled by former coach Norv Turner that ranked 21st in overall offense and 23rd in points scored in 2005. Shell wants to run the ball ragged and have his QB looking deeper downfield instead of the slew of quick routes and short passes Turner loved.

While Brooks has been challenged by second-year pivot Andrew Walter during training camp, he is likely to start Sunday’s game, followed by Marques Tuiasosopo and Walter.

Shell won’t divulge whether Sunday`s quarterback rotation will affect the depth chart for the regular season, although Brooks does have the inside track because of his experience.

“I pay close attention to the quarterbacks and I log the stats on each signal caller and make notes on how they play, along with their QB rating for each game,” says Covers Expert Steve Merrill.

”This is especially useful in the regular season when, and injury occurs to the starter and one of the backups must replace him. It gives me a good barometer on how the backup will play and often presents excellent play on or against situations.”

Backups account for the majority of the offense and defense during preseason games as team’s attempt to avoid injuries to starting players.

Oftentimes those backups are also fighting for starting jobs, as is the case with the Raiders, who have a number of holes to fill defensively after parting ways with defensive tackle Ted Washington (Cleveland) and corner Charles Woodson (Green Bay) during the offseason.

Questions still remain about Oakland’s second and third receivers after Jerry Porter`s trade demand at the start of training camp. Porter, who led the team with 76 catches last season, has been at odds with Shell, while a calf injury has kept the receiver out of all but a handful of workouts.

On Friday, Shell said the injury could keep Porter from traveling with the team to Canton, OH.

"There are certain criteria we have for making a road trip," said Shell. "And, if a guy is injured … I mean, there will be some guys left behind."

Sunday`s total is 36 1/2.

JT

[nflman]

The general public isn't betting tonight. But all of the professionals are

I've watched the spread on this game since it opened at select casinos in LV. Where was it ever at -2?

Secondly, Jeff Garcia didn't have much of a chance in Cleveland nor Detroit. Every quarterback's potential is determined by his offensive line. The fans in those towns obviously know nothing about football.

If you recall, Garcia wasn't too bad in San Francisco. They had an offensive line there.

Terrell Owens could find trouble with Dan Marino.

Otherwise, nice write up JT.

[jtsneaks]

Thanks, nflman, but these are cut and paste jobs not my original stuff just trying to share the info.

Like this one....

SUNDAY'S GAME 8/06/06 (Hall of Fame Game from Canton, Ohio)

Oakland Raiders - QB Rotation: Aaron Brooks, Andrew Walter, Marques Tuiasosopo.

Art Shell could wait until Sunday to settle on a quarterback rotation. The only certainty is Brooks will start.Andrew Andrew Walter is being lauded as the Raiders quarterback of the future. He has supplanted Marques Tuiasosopo as the backup.

Art Shell is the new head coach. Of the game he wants to keep things simple: "You can do all the blitzing, you can do all the fancy little versions and things, that'll come down the road. I want to see our guys display basic football," he said.

Brooks, signed as a free agent from the Saints, will start Sunday's exhibition against the Eagles, but that's about as far as Shell will go giving the job to Brooks. "I don't want to lock anything in," he said, although Brooks is the heir apparent to Kerry Collins over Andrew Walter, No. 2 on the depth chart.

Shell plans on giving his quarterback freedom to call some plays and during 2-minute drills and no-huddle situations.

Walking wounded: A number of players battling a series of minor bumps, bruises and tweaks either missed practice or were limited. They included LB Kirk Morrison, center Adam Treu, safety Stuart Schweigert, TE Courtney Anderson and WR Ronald Curry.

Discipline will be a key in the exhibition opener: Art Shell expects his players to be crisp, detailed and disciplined. The Raiders have been a sloppy team the last few years, especially with penalties.

Philadelphia Eagles - QB Rotation: Donovan McNabb (1st Q), Jeff Garcia (2nd Q), Koy Detmer (3rd Q), Timmy Change (4th Q).

QBs Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, Koy Detmer and Timmy Chang, will all play a quarter. The first, second, third and fourth units will also play a quarter.

Andy Reid also announced that the following injured players won't be making the trip: wide receivers Jeremy Bloom, Todd Pinkston and Derrick Fenner, fullback Jason Davis, linebacker Chris Gocong, safety Quintin Mikell, cornerback Donald Strickland and running backs Ryan Moats and Correll Buckhalter.

Wideout depth thin: Wide receiver Todd Pinkston remained sidelined by swelling in both of his Achilles tendons this week, missing three straight practices. TE L.J. Smith missed three practices last week with a sprained shoulder, while Jeremy Bloom and Jason Avant have battled minor injuries. Rookie receiver Hank Baskett will be working with the first unit tonight.

Running back depth thin. RB Correll Buckhalter was not able to practice Tuesday. RB Ryan Moats was sidelined for the fifth straight day with strained knee ligaments. Rookie fullback Jason Davis underwent surgery on his broken hand.

Andy Reid has modest goals for this opening preseason game: "You are looking at the young guys and the opportunity there," he said. "From the veterans, you are looking for execution and to get used to doing things full speed, game speed I should say, not full speed, they've been doing full speed out here."

Special-teams coordinator John Harbaugh said J.R. Reed will get punt and kick return time in Sunday's preseason opener. It will be the first game action since Super Bowl XXXIX for Reed, whose career was nearly ended by an injury to the peroneal nerve behind his knee. Harbaugh said Reno Mahe and Dexter Wynn also will field punts, and Bruce Perry, Mahe and Wynn will help with the kickoffs.

Defensive wrinkles: Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has some new nickel packages. He thinks this defense has more speed than any he's had since coming here with head coach Andy Reid in 1999; admitting that end Jevon Kearse may play standing up a little more; planning to use rookie linebacker Chris Gocong as an end and to use end Darren Howard as a tackle at times.

The intent is obviously to create more confusion than ever for opposing offenses, which last season beat the Eagles' blitz packages more often than not. That led to the lowest sack total (29) and highest number of touchdown passes allowed (24) in the Reid/Johnson era. Among the most noticeable changes will be as many as six defensive backs and only three down linemen and one true linebacker (usually Shawn Barber) on the field at times. The formations are designed to set up more effective zone blitzes and better attack angles to the quarterback.

[jtsneaks]

Philadelphia went 2-2 SU and ATS in the 2005 preseason, and the straight-up winner is 11-1 ATS in the Eagles' last 12 exhibition outings.

The Raiders were 1-3 SU and ATS during last year's preseason, including 0-2 SU and ATS on the road. Going back to the 2003 exhibition campaign, Oakland is a woeful 3-9 ATS in August. Over the last five years, the Raiders are 10-11 in preseason contests, but only 7-14 ATS, including 1-9 ATS on the road.

[jtsneaks]

Raiders offense to be put on the spot tonight
Defense seems OK as Oakland meets Eagles in Hall of Fame game
By Bill Soliday, STAFF WRITER

CANTON, Ohio — The wait is about to end. Raider Nation is about to find out what Raiders 2006, Art Shell's version, might look like.

It's best to use the word "might," because after all it is just an exhibition game, and the opener is still five weeks away. Still, there is no denying curiosity.

The debut takes place tonight at Fawcett Stadium, a high school field next to the Pro Football Hall of Fame against the Philadelphia Eagles. It's the first exhibition game for Shell, and he's as curious as anyone else.

However, his curiosity is a bit different than that of the general public.

"It's a good opportunity to see where you're at," Shell said. "To see if we're where we need to be at this point in time in training camp."

"This point in training camp" says it all because his Raiders aren't very far into it — just two weeks. First exhibition games aren't usually pretty to look at.

Furthermore, the truth is the Raiders offense has not had a healthy look so far during the team's workouts that started July 24. An impressive defense has dominated.

It has raised a question, one that will at least be partially answered tonight: Is the defense that good, or is the offense lagging that far behind?

An adequate offensive performance against the Eagles would hint that an apparently improved defense is no mirage.

Of course, with upward of 80 players still on the roster, there will be a lot of unknowns on the field as the game progresses.

"I'm focusing on every single guy out there," Shell said.

Some things to look for:

-The debut of mobile quarterback Aaron Brooks. He's the starter, but Shell has cringed when he has been asked if his status was permanent. Nothing is set in stone, not anywhere, he will say. The truth: If Brooks is not the starter for the regular-season opener, he will have had to play his way out of it. Probably significantly.

"It's basically a test for us, particularly me, to get back into the flow of things," Brooks said. "It's a new system with everybody learning new things. We're here to get better and learn from our mistakes."

-The direction of the running game. Shell wants to see some straight-ahead power running from LaMont Jordan, who says he is far more familiar with blocking schemes than he was a year ago. But Shell is also eager to see if backup Justin Fargas, who Shell says has had a strong camp, can recapture some of his rookie magic. "Every play is going to be physical,


every play is going to be fast, and every play is going to be finished to the whistle," Jordan said.

-Blocking. Whether the backs succeed depends on the performance of the line, which is operating under orders to take on tacklers directly and move people out. It's not that the Raiders won't test the flanks, they just want those dive plays to pick up 4-to-6 yards, not 1-to-2. That means winning head-to-head matchups.

"I want to see people move them (the Eagles) off the ball," Shell said.

-Defensive speed. This has been the eye-opening facet of the Raiders game this summer. A new linebacker alignment with Kirk Morrison in the middle is part of it, but rookie No.2 draft pick Thomas Howard, the weakside backer, has shown freakish abilities. Now he gets his chance to show his stuff for real.

-Where does No.1 pick, safety Michael Huff, fit in? He has been used everywhere in camp and is not officially starting. He has worked at both safety positions, most recently free safety with Stuart Schweigert hobbling with a groin injury, but most expected him to co-opt the strong safety spot. He has also played some cornerback.

-Penalties. The Raiders don't want to lead the league again. The focus has been on eradicating false starts and offsides on defense. Aggressive penalties are tolerated, but not stupid ones. There were no offsides penalties in Wednesday's practice.

"That means the concentration level has picked up," Shell said.

-Special teams. This is where the competition has been stiffest because it is where jobs are most available. Watch Rod Smart and Jarrod Cooper, former running buddies from their Carolina days, working in tandem on coverage units. New special-teams coach Ted Daisher has his charges excited, and because of the new dose of speed on the team,'teams should be visibly upgraded.

"We had guys last season who didn't want to be out there," Schweigert said. "The whole attitude of the team has changed. Guys want to be out there."