Saints start title defense with win over Vikings
Football Betting Lines
09/09/2010 - New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Drew Brees threw for 237 yards and a score and Pierre Thomas ran for the decisive touchdown in the third quarter, as the Saints opened their title defense and the 2010 season with a 14-9 win over the Vikings.
New Orleans captured its first championship seven months ago with a 31-17 win over the Indianapolis Colts in Super Bowl XLIV, and is looking to become the first repeat champion since New England in 2003 and 2004.
The Saints (1-0) took one step toward that end with a victory Thursday in a rematch of last year's NFC Championship game.
Brett Favre, who ended the uncertainty of his playing status when he returned to the Vikings (0-1) in mid-August, passed for 171 yards and a touchdown, and was intercepted once.
Houston, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chris Johnson's three-run homer in the sixth inning lifted the Houston Astros over the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2, in the opener of a four-game series at Minute Maid Park. Bud Norris (7-8), who was winle
<< Report: Patriots, Brady finalize extension
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The New England Patriots and quarterback Tom
Brady have finalized a four-year contract extension worth about $19 million
per season, according to a report from the Boston Herald.
The report, which cites
<< Youzhny, Nadal reach U.S. Open semis
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mikhail Youzhny and eight-time
major titlist Rafael Nadal won their quarterfinal matches on Thursday at the
2010 U.S. Open.
Nadal, the world No. 1, handled eighth-seeded Fernando Verdasco 7-
<< 21st-ranked Tigers take down Bulldogs in SEC tussle
Starkville, MS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cameron Newton threw for a pair of
touchdowns to help the 21st-ranked Auburn Tigers hold off the Mississippi
State Bulldogs, 17-14, in SEC action.
Newton completed 11-of-19 passes for 136 yard
<< Rasmus, Cardinals dominate Braves
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Colby Rasmus went 4-for-4 with a pair of home
runs and four RBI as St. Louis dominated Atlanta, 11-4, in the opener of a
four-game set.
Skip Schumaker went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run and two runs sc
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.
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
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
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
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.
Kurt Warner to start, Matt Leinart to watch
Despite the debate that's swirling , Kurt Warner will remain the starting quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals, coach Dennis Green said today. The Arizona Cardinals are the +7 point underdog at online sportsbook MySportsbook.com for this Sunday's game.
Green's comment came in a statement released by the team following an ESPN report that Green decided that rookie Matt Leinart would replace Warner as starter for Sunday's game at Atlanta.
"Generally talking about the starting lineup is not something we do," Green told the AP. "However, given the speculation that was out there we want to make it clear. We're disappointed after last week, but we still expect to be a playoff football team and we fully expect Kurt Warner to be the quarterback that leads us. That has not changed."
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Work left to do: Villanova, Syracuse, DePaul, West Virginia, Providence
Notre Dame and Louisville appear to have done enough to make the move, so we'll make them locks. The Cardinals, despite a modest RPI, are trending way up and have clinched at least a tie for third in the Big East, which should be more than enough with their pair of big road wins. Villanova got back to .500 and gets back to more solid footing. Syracuse got a very important road win and crippled a fellow contender in the process. West Virginia's fate could be in its hands Tuesday at Pitt.
Work left to do:
Villanova [18-9 (7-7), RPI: 21, SOS: 5] Pounded Rutgers to get back to .500. If Cats can get their last two (at UConn, vs. Syracuse), that should be enough with strong computer numbers and a host of wins away from The Pavilion. The Cats have beaten Texas and swept the Big 5 (never easy in Philly), but have a couple of losses to bubble teams (Xavier, Drexel), too. I still think they'll be OK, possibly even at 8-8.
Syracuse [20-8 (9-5), RPI: 53, SOS: 62] History says 10 wins will be plenty, but it might be hard for the Orange to get that last one with a final two vs. G'town, which is trying to win the league title, and at Villanova, which will be desperate for a W. The relative lack of nonconference heft and the weak computer numbers are still concerns, but the Orange have won four in a row and got a very, very big win at Providence on Saturday.
DePaul [16-12 (8-7), RPI: 54, SOS: 18] Beat Cincy and should get past South Florida to get to 9-7, but then what? They have beaten Kansas and Cal (right after the DeVon Hardin injury) earlier this season, but also have lost to Bradley and Purdue, among others. They'll likely need a couple of BE tourney wins, too, but we'll see ...
West Virginia [19-7 (8-6), RPI: 58, SOS: 125] The game at Pitt on Tuesday night could decide the Mountaineers' fate (barring a deep tournament run). They can still get to 9-7 in the Big East without it by beating Cincinnati, but the nine wins would be against UConn, Villanova, St. John's, South Florida, DePaul, Rutgers, Seton Hall twice and the Bearcats. Beating bubble foes is fine, but where's the beef? Outside of beating PG-less UCLA in nonconference play (still a top quality win), there's not a lot to fall back on (besides maybe NC State). WVU vs. Syracuse would be an interesting debate, as the teams don't play in the Big East regular season. WVU has the best win, but Cuse has played the much better schedule.
Providence [17-10 (7-7), RPI: 70, SOS: 33] The Friars likely saw their at-large hopes die at home in the four-point loss to Syracuse, barring an unexpected run to the Big East semis or more. The RPI, bad already, won't be helped by playing St. John's and South Florida in the final two league games.
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