Friday Night NFL

Friday NFL

This is the last night of NFL preseason before the real thing kicks off. The Question is there any value?



Trends for Tonight

Baltimore at Atlanta, 7:30 EST

Baltimore: 9-1 Under off a non-conference game
Atlanta: 6-11 ATS off a home win

Indianapolis at Cincinnati, 7:30 EST NFL
Indianapolis: 1-5 ATS off BB home games
Cincinnati: 8-0 Over off BB ATS losses

These last games will be all about what teams still have battles and need to get a win in these games tonight or at least show the coaches they want to be a part of this team.



In Baltimore the falcons try to move ahead and finally forget about Mike Vick and focus on football which has not always been a problem.

Atlanta is 4-2-1 ATS in its last seven home appearances. The Falcons have zipped 'over' in six of eight outings



In Cincinnati you can expect more than a dozen starters on both sides sitting out for tonight’s games as it comes from a battle of the backups. Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis said, "Our goal is to get to Sept. 10 and be the best team we can be. We've gotten some good work in this preseason. It's a matter of playing with speed and energy. Guys are competing to be guys on the back end of the roster. Our goal is Sept. 10."

Indianapolis has come up short in nine of 12 ATS. The defending champs have cashed five of their last eight on the road. Cincinnati, looking to avoid a winless preseason, has won and 'covered' four of its last five against the Colts. Four of the past five series encounters have gone 'under.' The Chicago Bears look to become the only NFL team to finish the preseason with a spotless record on Thursday when they host the upset-minded Cleveland Browns. The defending NFC champs haven't exactly crushed their opposition thus far, winning their three games by a grand total of seven points.

Pick for Friday: Colts / Bengals Over 39

Week 4 Preseason

This is the last week of the preseason and you have to pick very carefully. In fact with college football and baseball in full swing, I would suggest you pass, but if your a football junkie like I am and decide not too I want you to have a pick and some information.

With college football taking center stage, the NFL final week of the preseason is like a side stage act at the Golden Nugget, it was just fine because it was free, but glad you didn’t have to pay for it. What makes matters worse, this week is more about a few individual position battles and roster spots than how well the team plays as a whole as it prepares for season opener. Nevertheless, in every scenario the glass can be either half full or half empty and opportunity still exists for the savvy bettor looking for value and winners. Here is a peek at some of the best angles for Week Four.

Washington travels south to Jacksonville off a rain-shorted win and cover over Baltimore 13-7. The Redskins have covered all three preseason games, while averaging a paltry 2.45 yards per carry in three tilts. The trip to northern Florida doesn’t set-up well on two levels. Washington is 1-10 ATS as a road underdog of 3.5 to 7 points and the Jaguars are 13-1 ATS after two consecutive games with a turnover margin of +1 or better.

The more comfortable a head coach is in his position with the franchise, the less likely he is prone to viewing preseason games for anything more then what they really are, expensive exhibitions for fans. The purpose is to play well when you need to and Philadelphia satisfied the basic desires of Andy Reid in week two and played fair against Pittsburgh is week three. This week they are a 2.5-point favorite at Bookmaker.com against the New York Jets. The Eagles barely take flight with 3-12 ATS record after a game with a turnover margin of +2 or better.
Detroit faced the music against Indianapolis in being throttled 37-10. It marked the second time this year the Lions had a three turnover game. Detroit returns home to Ford Field where they are 2-10 ATS in home games after scoring 14 points or less last game and 0-7 ATS in the Week Four.

Miami has been bumped up from a ‘pick” to 1.5-point favorites in part because of the miserable history of New Orleans this week. The Saints whacked Kansas City last week 30-7 and are playing fifth preseason game. The Saints are 2-10 ATS after a two game road trip and 1-6 against the number in the final contest of the preseason.

The Bears have been sharp in August with three wins (1-1-1 ATS), as the offense is generating 26 points a game. Chicago will close out the home portion of schedule with encounter against Cleveland. The Browns have shown well this month, giving fans hope for the season in big year for coach Romeo Crennel. Cleveland might take home the money against too, since Chicago is just 2-11 ATS off a home win since 1993.

Tampa Bay returns home after a pair of road games. The Buccaneers have shown more offense thus far, especially the running game (4.7 YPC) and will try to take this momentum into the regular season facing Houston. History will not be on the side of the Bucs who are 0-7 ATS after a win by three or less points.

As Kansas City prepares for “Show Me” state battle with St. Louis, storm clouds are swirling around the Chiefs. Herm Edwards offense has scored 9.7 point per game with a total of 213 yards on average per outing. While this doesn’t count for anything, some signs point to trouble even in the preseason and this has the look of such a problem. The Chiefs are now 2-11 ATS in last 13 preseason games.

Denver was upset at home by Cleveland 17-16 as 6.5-point favorites, not playing poorly, just not efficiently. This is really bad news for Arizona who has yet to win a preseason game for first year coach Ken Whisenhunt. The Broncos are 12-2 ATS off an upset loss as a favorite and a perfect 7-0 ATS in the final week of exhibition football.

A couple of other notes have Minnesota 6-1 ATS to close the preseason and Oakland 6-2 ATS the last two years. In an earlier article we told you to look for or against certain teams off double digit wins or losses. Thus far heeding that advice would give you a 9-4-1 69.2 percent ATS record. This week take a look at Carolina and Philly as Play On teams, and possibly Play Against the Saints, New England, Tennessee, Indy, and Houston.

NFL Wagering Pick for Week #4: Green Bay +7

College Pick for tonight here

Monday Night Preview and Pick

Already a franchise in flux, the Atlanta Falcons must somehow look past the Mike Vick debacle and play a football game tonight against the winless Cincinnati Bengals.

Looking at these two teams, Atlanta would gladly trade spots with Cincinnati, despite the Bengals 0-2 preseason mark. After all, it’s not Carson Palmer that will find himself behind bars during the regular season. Although by this point, Palmer certainly knows what it’s like to have incarcerated teammates. For this real life reenactment of “The Longest Yard,” the Bengals are currently listed as three-point chalk. That number hasn’t really moved at all, but the total has moved up half a point to 38.5.

Coming off a disappointing 2006, Cincinnati has experienced a bit of a carryover through their first two exhibition contests. Their reserves blew a nine-point fourth-quarter lead in the opener against Detroit, before bowing out to the Lions, 27-26. They had a chance to win the game in the closing seconds, but Shayne Graham’s 48-yard FG attempt went wide left. Last week, they played poorly in a 27-16 loss to the Saints. The first-team defense allowed New Orleans to score in each of their first three drives (two TD, 1 FG). Drew Brees went a perfect 6 for 6 against the secondary, which once again looks to be the team’s Achilles heel. On that same opening drive, the Bengals failed to even force the Saints into a single third-down situation. "Obviously, I'm not happy with how we performed, how we played tonight," glum coach Marvin Lewis said.

Carson Palmer went a modest 5 of 10 for 41 yards and fumbled once. He looked much better in the opener, when he went 7 of 10 for 93 yards. The Bengals’ starters will play into the second half against Atlanta. RB Kenny Irons has already been lost for the season (torn ACL).

Chad Johnson took it upon himself to send advanced copies of his new book, titled “I Can’t Be Stopped” to all members of the Atlanta secondary.

One quick coaching note to report here. Marvin Lewis said he would coach Monday's game from the press box. He underwent surgery on his left ankle this week to repair tendons he tore back in June.

Meanwhile, Falcons Coach Bobby Petrino would gladly trade his situation for torn tendons. After leaving a national title contender in Louisville in the college ranks, Petrino has walked into an absolute mess in Atlanta, all thanks to Vick. It certainly didn’t help his cause when the organization traded away Matt Schaub, Vick’s longtime backup. Another backup, DJ Shockley, has also been lost for the year (left knee injury). That leaves the fate of the team in the hands of Joey Harrington, who is 10 of 16 for 119 yards and one interception. Atlanta somehow managed to squeak by Buffalo last week, 13-10, after losing the opener to the Jets, 31-16.

Tonight is Petrino’s home debut. Like the Bengals, the Atlanta starters will play into the second half. RB Warrick Dunn will see his first action of the preseason after recovering from back surgery. These clubs have played quite frequently in past preseasons. The Falcons are a perfect 5-0 SU/ATS over the last five meetings. They are also a perfect 7-0 ATS in the preseason following a game where they had a turnover margin of -3 or worse. Cincinnati has gone Over the number in each of their two games thus far.

I will pay the Falcons+3 tonight. There is no need to take a favorite that has yet to play impressive in the preseason. The Bengals are not focused and the Falcons are focused on football instead of Mike Vick. They win in Petrinos home debut.

Friday NFLX Information by Bookmaker

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In the most important week of the NFL preseason, three games will be on the wagering radar as possibilities for Friday. Every team wants to make a good showing with its first units playing, making this the closest thing to the regular season. Each team has a different agenda going into tonight, looking to accomplish what it can before the season begins. New England at Carolina will be the main game everyone can view on CBS.



Tennessee (1-1) at Buffalo (1-1)

Two young AFC quarterbacks will look to establish themselves in 2007 action in Buffalo. After being forced to sit out the first game due to team rules violation, Vince Young was not impressive against New England, 5-17 for 104 yards passing and was under heavy pressure being sacked four times. The Bills J.P. Losman has played reasonably well, completing 58 percent of his 19 attempts; however Buffalo has only mustered 23 points in two trips to the gridiron.

Tennessee used a big 20-7 second half to pull out win at New England as five point underdogs. This follows a historical pattern that has the Titans 12-3 ATS as a road underdog of seven points or less over the last fourteen years. Buffalo gave up the lead to Atlanta and lost in the second half 13-10. They will try and bounce back as 1.5-point favorites at Sportbook.com despite 10-19-1 ATS record as favorite. In the Bills favor, they are 12-3 ATS after scoring 17 points or less in two straight preseason games.




New England (0-2) at Carolina (1-1)

This nationally televised encounter should bring real entertainment value, with two large teams, size wise, butting heads and angry. New England has not lost first two games in August in years and will want to get back on winning track immediately. Carolina after a good opening effort against the Giants, were smothered by Philadelphia right from the start of the game with 24-0 blitz. Head coach John Fox undoubtedly went after his team to correct lack of readiness in last game.

The Patriots should have running back Laurence Maroney ready to go after shoulder ailment; however Randy Moss hamstring will keep him on the sidelines again. Carolina’s Jake Delhomme and David Carr know who they will be throwing to All-Pro receiver Steve Smith, but a traffic jam of wide receivers is trying to be the other starter. Keary Colbert, Drew Carter and rookie Dwayne Jarrett are all vying for the starting slot. New England has moved up to 1.5-point favorite, being 7-0 ATS off a home loss and 4-0 against the number in Week 3. Coach Fox teams have been profitable at the window with when underdogs with 8-2 ATS record.



St. Louis (1-1) at Oakland (1-1)

A pair of .500 teams will do business in Oakland, as St. Louis pays a visit. The Raiders have a three-pronged race for the starting quarterback position with Daunte Culpepper, Josh McCown and Andrew Walter all in the mix. The confounding aspect for Raiders faithful is why the number one pick in the draft JaMarcus Russell is still unsigned and not being able to show off his skills. Culpepper will get the start and appears to have the lead in the QB derby. He was the best of the three last week and can wrap up the starting position with similar results this time. If he should falter, Walter’s has played the next best, yet still made costly mistakes. The running game is unsettled with new offensive line and no running backs establishing themselves.
Running back Steven Jackson will see his most extensive work of the summer against Oakland, preparing for the home opener against Carolina. The passing game has been putting up good numbers at 257 yards a game, still the five turnovers to none has coach Scott Linehan concerned. One part of the offense Linehan has not been worried about is the development of rookie RB Brian Leonard. He doesn't do spectacular things, but rarely loses yards in the running game, and fights for extra yards. He has done well in pass protection, and will now begin getting some work as a fullback.

St. Louis has been a sorry group when favored with at 14-24 ATS record. After going four years without being a road favorite, the Rams will be again for the second time this season as a two point choice. The downside is St. Louis is 4-17 ATS after playing a game at home. The Raiders have hosted the Rams three times since 1993, winning each one and covering twice.

What you need to know Thursday NFLX

Jacksonville Jaguars at Green Bay Packers (+3, 39)

The air up there?

Much of the Jags' success this season hinges on whether a dink-and-dunk passing attack can improve this season. The club brought in former Arizona State coach Dirk Koetter in hopes of improving a predictable offense.

Koetter and starting quarterback Byron Leftwich are said to have a good relationship since first meeting earlier this year, but that hasn’t translated into results. Leftwich completed two of his six pass attempts for a total of 12 yards last week against the first-string defense of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Jacksonville proved it can still run (154 yards on 37 carries) but what of the aerial assault?
“I would not call it concern,” head coach Jack Del Rio told the Florida Times-Union. “Clearly we have a lot of work to before we open (the regular season) and I’m sure we’ll be met with adversity at some point during the year. We’ll have tremendous success during the year. We want to be steady with our approach.”

Expect Koetter to call more passing plays designed to get the running backs involved. Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor are both explosive in the open field and small dump offs should get Leftwich into a groove.

Sending out an S.O.S.
Brett Favre was vocally upset with the Packers front office for failing to get him any help in the off-season. Green Bay didn't trade for wide receiver Randy Moss and they used their first-round pick on defensive tackle Justin Harrell.

The word from camp says Harrell may not even dress on opening day because of mediocre play.
“It’s his conditioning,” co-defensive line coach Carl Hairston said of the former Tennessee Volunteer, according to the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. “I’m hoping by September he will be where he needs to as far as conditioning. Once he gets the stamina where he wants it then he can do what he did at Tennessee.”

Harrell played only three games for Tennessee in his final year because of a torn bicep but he made the SEC All-Conference team after posting 39 tackles and 7 ½ sacks in 2005.
Tuesday was another disappointing day in practice for Harrell. He was manhandled by three different offensive linemen in one-on-one pass rush drills Tuesday.

Starting running back Vernand Morency will continue to sit out because of a knee injury, but coach Mike McCarthy is confident Morency will be ready for the regular season. Rookie tailback Brandon Jackson should continue to receive the bulk of time with the first unit.
Don’t get too excited by the 48 points the Packers put up against the Seattle Seahawks. Green Bay took advantage of six Seahawks turnovers including two fumble recoveries that were returned for touchdowns.

New Orleans Saints at Kansas City Chiefs (-1, 37)

Training day

The Brady Croyle era is upon us. As Ryan Stetson noted in today’s starter reporter, Croyle will start and play into the second half. The second-year quarterback hasn’t won the No. 1 job outright, but with top competitor Damon Huard likely unable to play Thursday due to injury, the announcement isn't far away.

Pro Bowl running back Larry Johnson is signed and in camp, but he won’t play today. It’ll be up to Michael Bennett and rookie Kolby Smith to run the football. Both have been unimpressive in the preseason so far.

Smith – who’s looked great in practice – has rushed for zero yards on 10 carries while the speedy Bennett had only seven yards on eight carries against the Fish. Croyle will need better production from the backfield to be successful.

Thank goodness it’s Thursday

The irregularities of training camp and preseason no longer seem to be an issue for New Orleans. The Saints closed shop at Millsaps College in Jackson, Miss., and returned home to their training facility to prepare for the upcoming campaign.

Head coach Sean Payton feels blessed by the scheduling gods.

“We all look forward to getting into a routine, and one positive is that we play a Thursday game, and then we play another Thursday game, and then we open the season on Thursday," Payton told reporters.

Receivers Marques Colston (knee) and Devery Henderson (hamstring) will not play against the Chiefs. This gives rookie wideout Robert Meachem a chance to strut his stuff. The first-round pick has gotten limited touches in the Saints' first three preseason matches but there’s no questioning his talent.

Hollis Thomas has lost his starting defensive tackle job to Kendrick Clancy. Thomas struggled keeping his weight down throughout training camp and was the only Saints player on the heavy side at the last team weigh-in.

Capping the third week in NFL Preseason

A look into the third week of Preseason

My wife’s not happy with me. Ever since I purchased my copy of Madden NFL 08, I’ve spent all my spare time in the basement with my Xbox leaving her feeling significantly neglected.

Sorry dear, but long before I met you there was Tecmo Bowl.

After I carefully crack the cover to my newest football video game, I’ll pick my team, and with the simple tap of the "A" button, skip the preseason and move onto Week 1 of the regular campaign. Most NFL bettors wish they could do the same thing with the actual football calendar.

The good news is Week 3 of the preseason, set to start Thursday, is the closest thing to the real deal. It's a dress rehearsal for the team's starters. Most coaches play their top players for the first three quarters before putting the top backups in the fourth quarter. This is usually the last action the first-stringers see before the regular season.

Even with the familiar faces taking up most of the camera time, oddsmakers are cautious.

“They call it preseason, we call it exhibition,” says Robert Walker, a sportsbook manager at the MGM Grand.



Walker isn’t alone in his assessment of this week's action.

“I know (the starters) aren’t going to play the whole game,” line consultant Keith Glantz says. “It’s kind of still up in the air.”

Despite this being the last chance for starters to see game action, some clubs still don’t let their stars touch the field. The San Diego Chargers haven’t played LaDainian Tomlinson in any of their last six warm-up matches and the St. Louis Rams haven’t given elite running back Steven Jackson a carry in two preseason contests this year.

Tomlinson and Jackson are rare exceptions. Most coaches still believe their players – even the best ones – need some August in-game situations to prepare for the regular season.

Halftime lines are an attractive prospect for bettors who know starters will play the entire first half.

“We normally get a little bit wiser money,” says Randy Stafford, an oddsmaker with BetCris.com. “We set the totals a little bit higher in the first half because the first-string offense is in there for so long.”

Covers Expert Lee Kostroski agrees with the parallel between higher totals and longer playing time for starters. He says offenses generally get sharper week-to-week with the help of more snaps.

“It’s hard to go out there knowing you’ve got three or four series, because you feel like every play you’ve got to make something happen,” Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Brody Croyle told reporters after learning he’d play the majority of Thursday’s game. “I’d love playing into the third quarter. You can get yourself into pretty good rhythm.”

Walker still believes Week 3 can produce erratic results. He says the MGM covers itself by instituting “real low limits” and making parlays unavailable with preseason games.

“The reality is some coaches just don’t care. Week 17 is the same thing,” Walker says of the final week of the regular season. “We run into problems when coaches aren’t properly motivated to win.”

This week’s lines better reflect what bettors might expect in the regular season, but not in all cases. Glantz points out that the Indianapolis Colts (-4 ½) and Chicago Bears (-6) would each be much larger favorites under normal circumstances.

There are still some who believe there are advantages to making a wager in this week.

“The first-half line is easy to handicap in Week 3 as you normally have the starting units for both squads on the field,” Covers Expert Steve Merril says. “The most important thing to do when handicapping Week 3 is (to look) at starting units, and also (pay) close attention to how the second-string units have played in the first two preseason games as these are normally the players that finish the fourth quarter.”

I don’t worry too much about backups in Madden. If one of my stars gets injured and can't play the fourth quarter, I just hit the reset button. The trouble is that that's a luxury we don’t enjoy in the real world. There's no such button when we place a bet in the third week of the preseason.

NFL Surprises

NFL Surprises
WagerWeb NFL Football Odds



Regular season win totals in the NFL have become a hot betting proposition here in Las Vegas. Gamblers are always chomping at the bit to bet pro football during the summer. These regular season win props allow people to do just that. And, frankly, sharp bettors have made A LOT of money exploiting soft lines.

I found early on that much of my preparation for a coming NFL season puts me in ideal position to attack these poor numbers. In the past, I was always a fast starter in football because of my offseason analysis. Now, I was able to further increase my profits because I could anticipate what the mainstream media would call surprise performances from various teams.

It's a definite advantage to be able to spot many of the lesser teams who are ready to "arrive" this year, and also to spot many of the top teams from the prior season who are ready to fall back to earth.

Even if you're not interested in playing regular season win props, you should still be trying to anticipate these surprises! Today I'm going to explain some of the strategies I've developed for uncovering the big movers from year to year.









First, you have to realize that football is a sport of parity. There's just not that big a difference from top to bottom, and the difference between top and middle barely exists at all. With that in mind, you have to look for teams to regress to the mean. Teams with a winning record are likely to drop back toward .500. Teams with bad records are likely to lift themselves up in the direction of .500.

Bottom line: don't expect too many winning teams to get better, and don't expect too many losing teams to get worse!

Also, any team that changes their head coach in the offseason will see these chances magnified. Bad teams are extremely likely to get better because they've fired a guy who couldn't win. Good teams are very likely to fall back to earth because the prior guy probably retired, and a change messes up what had been working.

After looking at the big picture issues involving the teams and coaching changes, you have to move to the quarterback position. Here are the guidelines I use:

Established veterans will maintain their level of performance. The only time to be wary of veterans is when they've made it past 35 years of age. Then you have to pencil in a slight decrease in production from year to year.

Young quarterbacks generally improve slightly from year to year. I've found in the past that most guys who are destined to be stars will make that clear by the end of their second season. Just be aware that these guys get better during the season, not between seasons. Don't make the mistake of assuming that some young QB is about to make a huge leap forward in the coming campaign. Detroit and Houston kept thinking that way about Joey Harrington and David Carr. So did bettors who believed the offseason hype. I'll pencil in slight improvement for very young guys. But once a guy has played at least three seasons, I consider him a veteran who's about to plateau for several years.

Rookie quarterbacks will probably be in the mid 70s or lower in terms of passer rating. Now, in this league, it's relatively rare to know before the season starts that a rookie will be getting all the snaps. You have to assume some early season troubles to even anticipate something like that. Teams like this I'm probably skeptical of anyway heading into a season, so the change to the rookie doesn't have much of an impact.

Because quarterback play is relatively stable these days, the only way teams have dramatic differences involves trades or free agency. This is where you have to look for potential surprises.

Who's likely to make a big jump forward? Any team that replaced a bad quarterback with a decent veteran via an offseason transaction, or any team that was starting a young quarterback who hasn't reached three full seasons in the league yet.

Who's likely to fall backward? Any team replacing an established veteran with a questionable newcomer at quarterback. Any team with an old quarterback who may find that this is the year he hits a wall.

The final area I want to discuss today is "luck" from the prior season. Teams who had better won-lost records than they deserved in 2006 are likely to fall back to earth in 2007. Teams who had worse won-lost records than they deserved are likely to get better.

How can you tell who the lucky or unlucky teams were? I look at records in games decided by six points or less (assuming teams with great records caught some breaks, and teams with bad records deserved better). And, I look at the stat rankings on offense and defense, and make a determination about whether those stats are reflective of the won-loss record. Here's a quick example from 2006. The Tennessee Titans ranked 27th on offense, and 32nd on defense, yet finished 8-8. They're unlikely to be that lucky again this season.

Once you've evaluated teams in this light, many of the so-called surprises jump off the page. You find teams who were unlucky last year and have made changes that are likely to lead to a surge. Teams like this may pick up as many as four-to-five extra wins this year. You find teams who were lucky last year, and have stood pat with personnel who really aren't that good. They may drop from playoff contender to 5-11 in a finger snap.

I'm not going to run through my personal selections for surprise teams. I need to keep that information close to the vest for my early season selection process. I do think that those of you who do the work in preseason preparation will be well-positioned to get off to a very hot start come September.

Monday Night Football

It’s obvious by now that the Indianapolis Colts' preseason reputation precedes itself. How else could you explain a six-point line move for tonight’s edition of Monday Night Football? Of course, the Colts will be dealing with a motivated foe in the Chicago Bears, who will be looking to avenge last February’s, 29-17, Super Bowl 41 loss.





Indianapolis comes into tonight having lost nine of ten preseason games straight up. They are 2-8 ATS over that same time frame, including a non-cover in a 23-10 loss to Dallas in the opener – eleven days ago.

Like the game against the Cowboys, we’ve seen a sizable line move here. However, in this case, the Colts opened up as the favorite. However, all of the money has since come in on the Bears, who are now favored by three after opening up as three-point ‘dogs.

After throwing just five passes vs. Dallas, Peyton Manning and the first-team offense should see more action this evening. According to Coach Tony Dungy, they’re likely to see “20-25 plays” and be on the field into the 2nd quarter. Manning did lead his team down the field for a field goal in his lone drive of the game.



Backup Jim Sorgi (as always) did nothing, generating no points. Third-stringer Josh Betts was able to throw a very late TD pass.

This is a banged up Indy team. Nine players, including All-Pro Safety Bob Saunders, have been ruled out of tonight’s game vs. Chicago.

RB Joseph Addai will continue to receive a light workload.

You should expect the Bears starters to likewise play into the second quarter. Brian Urlacher, Tommie Harris, and John Tait will all be making their preseason debuts.

Unlike the Colts, the Bears won their preseason opener, although it sure seemed like they weren’t trying to. However, when you’re playing the Houston Texans, you’ll get your fair share of opportunities. Rallying from a 19-7 fourth-quarter deficit, Chicago eventually pulled out a 20-19 win, as three-point dogs.

Reportedly, backup QB Brian Griese has looked awful in practice. He sure didn’t show much last weekend, as his first pass vs. the Texas was intercepted. He did, however, lead the Bears to a touchdown later on.

The Bears have covered five of their last six vs. AFC foes in the preseason.

Tonight’s total has not moved off the opening number of 35.5.

Giants to run tonight

If preseason games are so insignificant, then why do the Baltimore Ravens seem to care so much about Sunday night's matchup against the New York Giants?

The Ravens will break out their black uniforms, which they usually save for special occasions. Looking good is one thing, but the team is eager to impress a crowd of more than 70,000 fans and a national television audience by playing well, too.

Oddsmakers have the Ravens as 3-point favorites with the total set at 33.

''We just want to show them that we're a tenacious defense with a lot of depth,'' linebacker Bart Scott said. ''There's a lot of guys here who could be starting on other defenses. ... Let's see if (the Giants) can match our tempo and intensity. It's important we take each game like it's our last.''

Moments after he blew the final whistle of an upbeat training camp, Ravens coach Brian Billick gathered the players on the field Saturday at McDaniel College. He congratulated them for working hard over three straight weeks, then issued a warning: Don't let up.

''We've had a phenomenal camp. Best I've ever been a part of. But we have to follow through,'' Billick said later. ''Things have been going well, there have been a minimum amount of distractions and we had a great game Monday night (a 29-3 win over the Philadelphia Eagles).

''For them to not follow up at home Sunday night on national television, not to have the right focus and passion ... I don't know that they won't, but conventional thinking says that's a trap you can fall into. We want to make sure collectively and individually we don't do that.''

The Giants, meanwhile, are seeking to improve upon an uneven performance in their preseason opener, a 24-21 loss to Carolina. Brandon Jacobs and Reuben Droughns, who are expected to receive the brunt of the carries in place of the retired Tiki Barber, combined for 32 yards rushing on nine carries.

It won't get any easier against a Baltimore defense that ranked No. 1 in the NFL last season and limited Philadelphia to 23 yards on 18 attempts Monday.

''We just want to be consistent and have everyone do the right thing,'' Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. ''Baltimore is a defense that does a lot of looks. It will be a good test for the offensive line and the receivers to read and make adjustments.''

New York's defense will be tested, too. The Panthers put together three long scoring drives in the first half and finished with 154 yards rushing, averaging 5 yards per attempt.

''We have to stop the run,'' linebacker Antonio Pierce said. ''Last week the team rushed for 150, and 70 or 80 against the first defense. Our No. 1 goal is to stop the run every weekend, especially since we didn't do it the week before.''

The Ravens rested their first-string offense against Philadelphia after Steve McNair directed a 93-yard touchdown drive on Baltimore's opening possession. McNair and new starting running back Willis McGahee are expected to get more playing time Sunday night.

McGahee, who ran for 20 yards on four carries, will be the Giants' main focus of attention.

''If you can't stop the run in this league you don't have a chance,'' linebacker Mathias Kiwanuka said. ''We had a lot of corrections we had to make, but they were not devastating things. If wasn't like there were major flaws in our defense. It was an issue of focusing on the basics.''

Cornerback Aaron Ross, New York's first-round draft pick, will see his first NFL action after missing the opener with a hamstring injury. Wide receiver Plaxico Burress (ankle injury) will miss the game.

Manning is expected to play into the second quarter, followed by Jared Lorenzen and Tim Hasselbeck.

The second stage of the competition to be Baltimore's No. 3 quarterback will take place in the second half. Drew Olson got the jump on Heisman Trophy winner Troy Smith last week, directing three scoring drives in the fourth quarter after Smith went 3-for-11 for 34 yards.

Week 2 Preseason

Friday night Play: Buffalo -2.5



The New Orleans Saints have been one of the worst preseason teams on the planet. Coach Sean Payton's crew has flunked seven of their last eight exhibition tests and failed to cash at a 6-1-1 clip. New Orleans was blitzed by Pittsburgh at Canton in the Hall of Fame Game and last week it laid an egg in its home opener against Buffalo, 13-10.

So why would anyone consider backing the Saints on Saturday at Cincinnati? There is one very good reason: It seems that teams off two straight up losses where they scored 10 or less in both games have bounced back to cash at a 21-7-1 clip, getting the green in six of seven tries on the road.

The Bengals preseason credentials could make that trend obsolete. They have come away with the cash in their last six tests and won five of six SU. Cincinnati has been particularly potent at home, outscoring the opposition, 105-20. However, it's worth noting that despite their lackluster record the Bengals have 'covered' at a 6-3-1 pace in their last 10 road games.

Total bettors should be aware that the Cincinnati has been on the low side in seven of its last eight at Paul Brown Stadium.

Trends and angles for the remainder of the Week 2 preseason slate appear below.





PANTHERS at EAGLES

Carolina has thrived on the road, winning four in a row and getting the money in six straight as underdogs.

FALCONS at BILLS

Atlanta has disappointed in six of its last eight as a road dog. Buffalo has knuckled 'under' in 10 of 14 games overall and in five of its last seven at home.

TITANS at PATRIOTS

Tennessee has sent a mixed preseason message. The Titans are 4-9 ATS in their last 13 trips to the post and they have come up short in five of their last six on the road. However, they have cashed four of five as road pups. Tennessee has ducked 'under' in its last seven road appearances while New England has slipped below the total in seven of 10 in Beantown.

VIKINGS at JETS

The New York Jets have 'covered' five of their last seven as home favorites. Minnesota has been a very strong road play, getting the cheddar in seven of 10 as short-enders. The Vikings have taken the low road in five of seven on the highway. Conversely, the Jets have eclipsed the total in seven of eight at the Meadowlands.

TEXANS at CARDS

Houston has 'covered' its last pair as road dogs after failing in its previous six chances. Arizona has stumbled in four of five as home chalk. The Texans have topped the total in six of nine road tests.

LIONS at BROWNS

Cleveland has been a very reliable option, cashing in 10 of its last 12 chances. Detroit has failed to show up on the road in nine of its past 10 games and it has come up short in seven of eight as underdogs. The Browns have won four of their last five versus the Lions and 'covered' three in a row. Detroit has dipped 'under' in eight of 10 on the highway and Cleveland has been on the low side in 11 of its last 14 games.

BUCS at JAGUARS

Jacksonville has held the upper hand in this in-state rivalry, winning three straight versus Tampa Bay and getting the money in the past four showdowns. The Bucs have strayed below the total in 10 of their last 15 games. The Jaguars have bounced 'over' in six of eight.

STEELERS at SKINS

Washington has stumbled in seven of its last nine ATS and Pittsburgh has failed to cash in six of eight on the road. The Steelers have ducked 'under' in their last six games and nine of their last 11. However, they have been on the high side in seven of 10 away from home. The Skins have tumbled 'under' at a 6-3 clip at home.

CHARGERS at RAMS

San Diego has blown 'over' in nine of 13 road games. St. Louis has headed in the opposite direction in five of seven at home.

BRONCOS at COWBOYS

Dallas has 'covered' seven of eight overall and seven of its last nine as home favorites. Denver has clicked in its last five chances as road dogs. The Cowboys have skipped 'under' in seven of nine at home and the Broncos have followed suit in nine of 11 on the highway.

SEAHAWKS at PACKERS

Seattle has been a solid road dog, getting the green in five of six. Conversely, Green Bay has failed to cash six of its last eight. The Seahawks have eclipsed the total in eight of their last 11 games, including five of six on the road. The Packers have topped the total in their past two trips to the post after slipping below the number in their previous six tries at home.

RAIDERS at 49ERS

San Francisco is 6-3 ATS in its last nine games. The 49ers had cashed four straight at home until coming up short last Monday versus Denver. Oakland has dropped five of its last six spread decisions as road dogs. The Raiders have gone 'under' in eight of their last 10 games away from home. San Francisco and Oakland have been on the low side in four of the last five pre-season showdowns.

GIANTS at RAVENS

The New York Giants have 'covered' three of their last four versus Baltimore. The Giants are 7-1 ATS in their last eight outings. The Ravens have cashed five of their last seven in Charm City.

BEARS at COLTS

Chicago is 6-3 as road dogs. Indianapolis is 2-8 ATS in its last 10 exhibition games and 1-10 SU.

KC Vs Miami Facts

Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs (-3 1/2, 33 1/2)



Offensive uncertainty

There may not be any teams that have more questions to answer on offense than the Dolphins and Chiefs. Kansas City head coach Herm Edwards is still undecided as to who will be his starting quarterback come Week 1 of the regular season and his No. 1 running back still hasn’t reported to camp.

Larry Johnson, who rushed for 1,789 yards last season, has repeatedly said he won’t return to the team until he gets a new deal.

“I’m cautiously optimistic a deal will get concluded, but exactly when I can’t tell you,” Chiefs president and general manager Carl Peterson told the Kansas City Star. “I would say we’re still communicating. Are we real close? Not from where I sit now.”

Bettors should expect to see heavy doses of RBs Michael Bennett and rookie Kolby Smith in tonight’s matchup. Veteran Priest Holmes' comeback attempt may be done. He will not play tonight and, once Johnson returns, Holmes will probably be cut.

A diamond in the rough?

The Fish are settled at the tailback position will Ronnie Brown as the No.1 and third-round pick Lorenzo Booker waiting in the wings, but the story of training camp has been the play of Jesse Chatman.

The 27-year-old was picked up in the off-season in the hopes he might be able to make the team. After working his butt off for three weeks he’ll be the first to relieve Brown on tonight.

Miami head coach Cam Cameron saw firsthand in his days with the San Diego Chargers what Chatman was capable of doing. In 2004, Chatman averaged six yards per carry, totaling 390 yards and scoring three touchdowns as LaDainian Tomlinson’s top backup.

Chatman didn’t have one rushing attempt in either of the last two seasons because of a weight problem. He’s trimmed things down but still carries a heavy load. He led the Dolphins in rushing with 88 yards on only six carries last weekend.

Look for the 5-foot-8, 221-pound back to be tattooing Kansas City defenders in the second quarter.

Line ‘em up and knock ‘em down

Cameron is unhappy with the progression of his offensive line after a poor performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The coach says his line has to get better conditioned to avoid a repeat performance.

“We don’t have a first offensive line,” he told the Orlando Sun-Sentinel after practice Tuesday. “I’m not going to talk about who we’re playing (against the Chiefs) yet.”

Drew Mormino, Chris Liwienski and Anthony Alabi took snaps at left tackle on Tuesday while Cameron sorts out who will play in case injured LT Veron Carey is a no-go.

“I heard some cracking, and my knee is weak,” Carey said. “It is a young line, and we have to mold together, so I have to push through it. I get a lot of heat from the coaches to get the young unit moving.”

Carey practiced Tuesday and he’s expected to start tonight, but it looks like Cameron will have a few options if Carey pulls up lame.

Winning attitude

There are few NFL coaches who will tell you that winning in the preseason is important to them. Herman Edwards is not one of those coaches.

“When they turn the clock on and keep score, I want to win,” Edwards told reporters before the Chiefs' preseason opener. “Are you kidding me? This is why, and I tell it to the young player. I tell him: ‘You’ve got to show me and all your teammates that you can win a football game.’ That’s why we’re here. We’re not here to have tea parties and watch movies. We’re here to win.

“I always tell players, it’s better for everybody when you win. You get the night off. You can poke your chest out a little. And you don’t have to sit there and say, ‘Well, our starters played well.’ I don’t like saying that stuff. Win the game! If you win the game, nobody can say anything.”

The Chiefs didn’t win and failed to cover in their first preseason game, but Edwards has a track record for success in the exhibition season. He has a career 17-8 record straight up and 16-9 against the spread.

No sour grapes here

Miami players are unbothered by the prospect of veteran defensive players Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor and Keith Traylor sitting out their second consecutive preseason game tonight.

“If they want to play, they’ll play,” linebacker Channing Crowder told the Orlando Sun-Sentinel. “There’s no reason to go out there. Those guys are kind of geriatrics so you don’t want to go out there and get hurt. They’re great players. It’s not worth it, especially (if) Zach’s ankle is tweaked … Jason’s thumb and (Traylor), his whole body’s messed up. No matter what happens it’s going to be 0-0 after the game."

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Top 20 Rookies

Whether your looking for fantasy or just to see who to watch here are the rookies to look for this season.

FREE Fantasy Football

The statistical success of Vince Young, Matt Leinart, Maurice Jones-Drew and Marques Colston last season proved there are some rookies who can immediately become productive options for fantasy football owners in seasonal formats.

To find the most valuable rookies for next season, it's important to scout the personnel of all 32 teams and determine where potential on-the-field opportunities can turn into statistical success. In an effort to unearth the next Young, Jones-Drew or Colston, here's our list of the top 20 rookies who will have a chance to produce attractive numbers in 2007.

1. Marshawn Lynch, RB, Buffalo: The first rookie taken in most seasonal drafts will be Lynch, a versatile runner out of California with terrific hands who will be the favorite to open the regular season as the Bills' featured tailback. With skill sets similar to those of Marshall Faulk, Lynch will be well worth a third- to fourth-round selection as a No. 2 fantasy runner in most formats.


2. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota: Peterson has the skills and abilities to be a solid No. 1 back in the world of fantasy football in the future, but the fact that he'll share carries with incumbent starter Chester Taylor hurts his value. Still, the former Oklahoma standout should be a viable No. 3 fantasy runner and will even be taken ahead of Taylor in some drafts.

3. Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit: Considered the most prized athlete in this class, Johnson is a physical specimen who will become an absolute nightmare for NFL defensive backs. Most wideouts do need a season or two under before their true statistical success arrives, but Johnson should still be considered an attractive No. 3 fantasy wide receiver in most cases.

4. Brandon Jackson, RB, Green Bay: Jackson, who has been compared to Ahman Green, possesses the speed to break long runs and has decent skills as a receiver out of the backfield. While injuries are a small concern (he has had two shoulder surgeries in two years), Jackson will have the chance to earn a prominent role and is a nice sleeper candidate.

5. Chris Henry, RB, Tennessee: Henry didn't see too much action in his collegiate career, but his stock soared to new heights after impressive workouts at the combine. However, his chances to start for head coach Jeff Fisher fell when the team re-signed veteran runner Chris Brown. The Arizona product is still worth a middle- to late-round selection in drafts.

6. Dwayne Bowe, WR, Kansas City: The Chiefs haven't had a legitimate and consistent threat in the pass attack outside of Tony Gonzalez in what seems like forever, so the team hopes Bowe can make a difference. He should have a chance to compete with Samie Parker for a prominent role and could be worth a late-round flier in leagues with 12-plus teams.

7. Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Indianapolis: A perfect fit for the Colts and their prolific offense, Gonzalez is expected to replace veteran Brandon Stokley as the team's new slot receiver. While he isn't an exceptional threat in the red zone, Gonzalez does possess terrific hands and could be worth as much as a late-round selection in most seasonal drafts.

8. Lorenzo Booker, RB, Miami: Booker's quickness and elusiveness should make him a nice change-of-pace and third-down back for head coach Cam Cameron. While he did deal with some injuries in college, Booker will be nice late-round insurance for Ronnie Brown now that it seems the Dolphins have decided not to retain the services of Ricky Williams.

9. Dwayne Jarrett, WR, Carolina: Jarrett, who possesses the same sort of skills as the man he will replace (Keyshawn Johnson), will compete with Drew Carter and Keary Colbert for a chance to start with Steve Smith. An athletic wideout, Jarrett will be a nice red-zone option for Jake Delhomme and could be worth a late-round flier if he earns the role.

10. Greg Olsen, TE, Chicago: Olsen could open the regular season behind incumbent Desmond Clark, but he's a terrific underneath receiver and should join the likes of Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow as solid tight ends to come out of the University of Miami. He could be worth as much as a late-round selection as a No. 2 fantasy tight end.






11. Robert Meachem, WR, New Orleans: Considered the best wide receiver to come out of Tennessee since Carl Pickens, Meachem has the speed and skills to make some noise in a prolific Saints offense. However, a recent surgical procedure on his right knee will hurt his value in drafts and limit him to more of a late-round flier in leagues with 12-plus teams.

12. Brian Leonard, RB, St. Louis: Leonard, who is expected to see around 15 to 20 plays per game in his rookie season under head coach Scott Linehan, will be a viable short-yardage back and could be decent insurance for owners in larger leagues who land Steven Jackson. Owners should consider him in the late rounds of larger fantasy football leagues.

13. Steve Smith, WR, N.Y. Giants: Smith is considered a terrific prospect and could compete for the second spot on the Giants depth chart if Amani Toomer isn't 100 percent back from an injured knee. The rookie could be worth a late-round flier in some formats.

14. Zach Miller, TE, Oakland: Miller is a talented athlete and appears to be the favorite to start ahead of Randall Williams and Courtney Anderson, but he'll enter the regular season as no more than a No. 2 fantasy tight end in most formats.

15. Ted Ginn, WR, Miami: Ginn possesses incredible speed and pro potential, and he seems to be back to 100 percent health from the foot sprain he sustained in the 2006 NCAA National Championship Game. While he could become one of the more explosive returners in the NFL, Ginn won't see enough time at wide receiver to be a consistent point producer.

17. Tony Hunt, RB, Philadelphia: Hunt has a chance to unseat Correll Buckhalter and emerge as the No. 2 back in Philadelphia behind incumbent starter Brian Westbrook. Should he take the second spot on the depth chart, Hunt would become a nice handcuff for owners who land Westbrtook.

18. Michael Bush, RB, Oakland: Bush would have been a surefire first-round selection in the NFL Draft had it not been for an injured leg, so the Raiders might have landed a tremendous bargain. If he can return in time for the regular season, Bush would have added value.

19. JaMarcus Russell, QB, Oakland: Russell might not be the No. 1 quarterback when the regular season opens -- Josh McCown is the favorite for that role -- but chances are that he'll be under center sooner than later.

20. Brady Quinn, QB, Cleveland: Charlie Frye is considered the favorite to open the regular season as the Browns' No. 1 quarterback, but it shouldn't be long before Quinn takes over the reins of the offense.

Other notables: Dwayne Wright, RB, Buffalo; Garrett Wolfe, RB, Chicago; Craig Davis, WR, San Diego; Jason Hill, WR, San Francisco; Jacoby Jones, WR, Houston; Paul Williams, WR, Tennessee; Mason Crosby, K, Green Bay; Justin Medlock, K, Kansas City.

Teams with Best depth at QB

This time of year most people are ranking NFL quarterbacks in preparation for that all-important day: the fantasy football draft. Here at Covers.com we’re less concerned with QBs who can win you a fantasy league championship, and far more interested in the understudies determining the outcome of preseason games.

Handicappers will tell you a team’s quarterback depth and rotation is one of the main criteria for betting exhibition football games. Look no further than Friday’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers game.

Jeff Garcia was unimpressive in the first quarter but unheralded Luke McCown completed all seven of his passing attempts, engineering drives that accounted for 10 of the Bucs' 13 points. Tampa Bay covered as 2 ½-point favorites because of McCown’s play in the second quarter.

With that in mind we’ve isolated five teams we think have a nice balance of quality and quantity at the quarterback position.

Chicago Bears

Rex Grossman may not be the most stable of starters, but with Brian Griese and Kyle Orton the Bears have an experienced tandem ready to step in at a moment's notice.

Griese is a nine-year veteran who's started 72 games in his career. He made the Pro Bowl in 2000 and has done relatively well with three different teams. He had a superb preseason last year that had some Chicago fans wondering whether Grossman should be No. 1.

Orton started 15 games in leading the Bears to an 11-5 record but sat in the playoffs once Grossman was healthy. His numbers were unimpressive – nine touchdown passes to 13 interceptions with a 51.6 completion percentage – but he proved he can manage a game and win.

In Saturday's preseason win over Houston, Orton played the entire second half and completed 16 of 25 pass attempts with one TD pass. His playing time will probably decrease in the next two weeks as Grossman gets more reps, but Orton could still make a difference in Chicago’s final exhibition contest.

Philadelphia Eagles

If you have an injury-prone play caller, you better make sure you’ve got options. That’s precisely what the Eagles did in the off-season when they re-signed A.J. Feeley, picked up Kelly Holcomb and drafted Kevin Kolb.

Feeley started his pro career with Philadelphia and is familiar with Andy Reid’s West Coast offense. The Eagles went 4-1, both straight up and against the spread, when Feeley filled in for an injured Donovan McNabb in 2002. Feeley also started eight times for the Miami Dolphins in 2005.

Holcomb is a career backup who played well enough to win the top job in each of his last two stops. He has 21 starts under his belt and there isn't much he hasn't seen over his 11-year career.

Kolb took every snap in the second quarter of Monday night's game against the Baltimore Ravens, but his time may be cut with McNabb expected to play Friday.

Oakland Raiders

Right now the Silver and Black have an abundance of quality QBs and that’s without the 2007 first overall draft pick JaMarcus Russell even in camp. Russell and the Raiders have yet to agree on a contract but owner Al Davis is just like a good Boy Scout – he’s always prepared.

A draft-day trade reeled in Josh McCown from the Detroit Lions and former Pro Bowler Daunte Culpepper was signed during the first week of training camp.

Add Andrew Walter, who started eight games last season with Oakland, and you’ve got serious depth at this position.

McCown and Walter looked comfortable in the preseason opener but Culpepper still seems a little rusty. Even if Russell smartens up and signs, the former LSU Tiger won’t see any game action for the next couple weeks.

Cleveland Browns

This is a franchise that hasn’t had a decent starting quarterback since Bernie Kosar was in his prime in the late 1980s. With that in mind the Browns traded up to grab Brady Quinn in the first round of the draft last April.

Quinn didn’t play in the first preseason game having reported to camp just three days earlier. So for now, the No. 1 spot is subject to a race between Charlie Frye and Derek Anderson. Each started games for Cleveland last season but neither played well enough to secure the job. While neither Frye or Anderson are elite quarterbacks, they both are above-average backups. There’s extra incentive for each to play well with the starter's job up for grabs.

Quinn also wants to prove he’s Cleveland’s QB of the future and present, meaning the Browns have three highly motivated quarterbacks in the preseason.

Washington Redskins

Last season was a transition year for the Redskins. Out with the old (that’s you, Mark Brunell) and in with the new (three cheers for you, Jason Campbell). Brunell didn’t pull a Drew Bledsoe and retire after losing the starting job, so he’ll be the No. 2 this season.

Brunell is a three-time Pro Bowler and led the Skins to a 10-6 record just two seasons ago. He has a good understanding of offensive coordinator Al Saunders’ complex system, but third-stringer Todd Collins may know it even better. Collins played seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs with Saunders as the offensive coach for six of them. He was brought to Washington as a free agent in 2006 precisely because of his familiarity with Saunders’ playbook.

Campbell played more than most starting quarterbacks in the preseason opener. Head coach Joe Gibbs had the Auburn alumni play the entire first half to give the youngsters some much-needed in-game experience. Campbell has only seven career regular-season starts and that all came at the tail end of last year.

Fantasy Alert!

-- New York Jets running back Thomas Jones has a strained right calf muscle and hopes to return in time for the team's season opener, his agent said Monday.


Drew Rosenhaus, Jones' agent, told the Associated Press that he spoke Monday to the star running back, who updated him on the severity of the injury.

"He had an MRI on the right calf and it was determined that he has what is essentially a strain of the calf muscle," Rosenhaus said. "He said the doctor was vague in terms of how much time he would miss, but it would probably be a week-to-week injury."

Rosenhaus added that Jones told him he was "confident he would be ready" for the Jets' season opener at home against New England on Sept. 9.

Jones walked with a slight limp Monday, a day after injuring the leg, and spent most of the morning session working on a hand bike and doing calisthenics. Jones' leg had a smaller wrap -- from the top of the ankle to the top of the calf -- around it than the one he had on after he was injured.

Per team policy, the Jets didn't reveal the nature or severity of the injury, which was first speculated by some to be a high ankle sprain. Jones wasn't made available to the media Sunday or Monday.

"I can tell you that he is working extremely hard, and he'll be back as quickly as he can," coach Eric Mangini said. "Thomas has a pretty strong track record. He's been pretty durable."

Mangini would not say whether Jones would play in the team's next preseason game at home against Minnesota on Friday night.

"Really, I expect him as soon as he can go," Mangini said.

Jones hadn't been touched during running back-linebacker drills Sunday when he went to plant his right foot in front of Brad Kassell and fell. He immediately took off his helmet and untied his shoe before he was examined by a trainer, who wrapped the leg. Jones then limped to the sideline and had a more substantial wrap applied.

Leon Washington worked with the first team offense for the second straight day in Jones' absence.

Losing Jones, who rushed for 1,210 yards and six touchdowns while leading the Bears to the Super Bowl last season, for any significant amount of time would be a blow. The Jets acquired him from Chicago in the offseason to give them a bona fide No. 1 running back after going with a four-man rotation last season.

"Thomas has to focus on himself and get back as quickly as possible," quarterback Chad Pennington said.

In Jones' absence, Washington will likely get the reps with the first team, while veteran Tony Hollings and undrafted rookies Danny Ware and Alvin Banks will split the rest of the carries.

"The other guys have opportunities now to make their case and show what they can do for our football team," Pennington said. "That's the beauty of football: It's a team game and we're all in this together. And when an injury happens, you have to make sure everybody else steps up and we're all accountable to each other and do what's necessary to keep on going."

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