Bears edge reeling Saints to win fourth straight

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) -- The Chicago Bears showed off the depth of their running attack and strengthened their credentials as a serious playoff contender. --football gambling--

The New Orleans Saints knocked starter Thomas Jones from the game in the first half, only to watch Adrian Peterson and Cedric Benson combine for 137 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in the Bears' 20-17 victory Sunday. --football gambling--

"We get off the plane running the ball," Bears coach Lovie Smith said. "Cedric Benson, Thomas Jones, Adrian Peterson all did a good job ... What can I say about the offensive line I haven't said?" --football gambling--

Robbie Gould made the winning field goal with 6 seconds to go from 28 yards. Kyle Orton set up the clincher with a 22-yard, third-down completion on a sideline route to Muhsin Muhammad at the 10-yard line. That allowed Chicago (5-3) to run the clock down to 10 seconds before lining up for the winning kick. --football gambling--

Saints owner Tom Benson stayed away from Baton Rouge as promised after complaining that security was inadequate to protect him from angry fans. A number of fans stayed away, too. The crowd was announced at 32,637, dwarfed by LSU's 93,000-seat Tiger Stadium. The no-shows were probably glad they didn't come as the Saints (2-7) lost their fifth straight despite playing well in stints. --football gambling--

Chicago, meanwhile, won its fourth straight for the first time since 2001-02, the last time the Bears were playoff bound. Peterson gave the Bears a 17-10 lead in the third quarter on a 6-yard carry after he had run for a slashing 36-yard gain one play earlier. He finished with 58 yards on six carries.--football gambling--

Benson had 79 yards on 14 carries, including a 27-yarder during the Bears' final drive, which began on the Chicago 25 and ate up 4:02. "I never thought there was that much space in the NFL, but there was a lot of it," said Benson, a rookie out of Texas. "It says a lot more for our offensive line. Those guys are consistent, snap after snap. You could say anybody could look good behind those guys."--football gambling--

Orton was 12-of-26 for 137 yards and a touchdown and was intercepted twice. But the Bears ran for 183 yards, with Jones gaining 40 yards on 11 carries before leaving with bruised ribs.
Antowain Smith had 110 yards on 17 carries for the Saints, while Aaron Brooks was 16-of-26 for 170 yards and a touchdown. He threw two interceptions, the second on a desperate heave as time expired.--football gambling--

Although the Saints ran well, they came up short on third-and-1 with under five minutes left, setting up the Bears' decisive drive. "We just cannot seem to get that one little play here and there that gives you a better chance of winning at the end," offensive tackle Wayne Gandy said. "You'd hope you could take that ball with four minutes to go and get a field goal. We created that third-and-one. It wasn't successful." --football gambling--

The Saints' first two possessions got them to or inside the Chicago 20, but they only came away with John Carney's 21-yard field goal, set up by Smith's 42-yard run on their opening drive.
"We talked all week about how we kick field goals instead of scoring touchdowns and we came out and did the same thing," said Saints coach Jim Haslett, who has never been this far below .500 in six seasons as a head coach. --football gambling--

The second drive began on the Chicago 35 after Fred Thomas' interception of a tipped pass.
However, running back Aaron Stecker fumbled on the Chicago 15 and Chris Harris returned it to the New Orleans 38. That was the first of three New Orleans drives that started in Chicago territory after turnovers, none of which yielded points.--football gambling--

The Bears have made a habit of converting turnovers into points lately, and did so seven plays after Harris' fumble return. Orton drilled a 4-yard slant pass to Justin Gage for a 7-3 lead.
New Orleans jumped back ahead 10-7 on a 14-play, 95-yard drive that ended when Brooks hit Donte' Stallworth on a crossing route for a 15-yard score. It was the Saints' first touchdown in more than eight quarters. --football gambling--

Against a Chicago defense that entered the game allowing an average of fewer than 85 yards rushing, the Saints' resurgent ground game surpassed 100 yards by the second quarter.
But Harris' sack on a safety blitz helped Chicago get the ball back with just under two minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Bears then drove from their 31 to the Saints 17, setting up Gould's 35-yard field goal to tie the game at 10 with 22 seconds left in the half.--football gambling--

Game notesGage started for Mark Bradley (knee), who was placed on injured reserve last week. ... Saints TE Ernie Conwell (knee) did not play. Zach Hilton started in his place and dropped potential touchdown pass on New Orleans' first drive. ... Orton's interception was his first in 63 attempts.--football gambling--

NFL quick hits: Week 8 betting recap
By Shawn Torrey

After two weeks of hiding, the underdog finally decided to make its presence known in Week 8. Although at the end of the day it was the favorites who held a slight 7-6 ATS edge, it does pale in comparison to the 20-8 ATS mark they registered in the past two weeks. -NFL Football-

Home teams held down the fort in 10 of 13 Sunday affairs and went a respectable 8-5 ATS in the process. The under also finished 8-5, coming through on the three lowest totals of the week. -NFL Football-

Every week is a story of its own in the NFL and Week 8 was no different. We witnessed the return of Ted Bruschi, the possible departure of Daunte Culpepper, the Giants blanking of the `Skins, and the Niners upending the Bucs. -NFL Football-

As if all that wasn’t enough, Brett Favre was shockingly stripped of the ball by a fan streaking through a Packer timeout on the sidelines. The event was almost eerily symbolic of the gritty quarterback’s final playoff hopes being stripped from him, as well. -NFL Football-

Yes, another whacky Sunday has come to pass. With that, let’s glimpse at the highlights as they adhere to the sports bettor. -NFL Football-

Minnesota 13 at Carolina 38 (-7 / 45)

The Vikings fell to a miserable 2-5 ATS, and Daunte Culpepper fell to an injury that may have him watching the rest of this disastrous campaign from the sidelines. -NFL Football-

The Panthers covered as the chalk for just a second time in six tries, the first at home. However, the over is quietly cashing in at a 4-0-1 clip in Carolina’s last five. -NFL Football-

Oakland 34 at Tennessee 25 (1 / 47)

What may have looked like a fishy line turned out to be nothing but easy bait as the Raiders picked up their first road victory. After a dismal start to the campaign, Oaktown has now won and covered three of their last four. -NFL Football-

The Raiders are 3-0 SU and ATS when asked to lay points. The Titans are 1-4 ATS in their last five. -NFL Football-

Washington 0 at NY Giants 36 (-1 / 43)

Late bettors steamed Washington and were left with nothing but burnt wallets for their efforts. The Redskins` luck finally changed, and they were flat-out trampled by the G-Men in this contest. Tiki Barber nearly doubled Washington’s offensive performance by himself. -NFL Football-

The Giants improve to 4-1 ATS at home and the `Skins have now fumbled the cash in two of their last three. -NFL Football-

Arizona 13 at Dallas 34 (-9 / 39)

I suppose that if I was to boast about the fact that I started Marion Barber this week in fantasy football, than I’d also have to admit that I actually had little confidence in the Cowboys covering this number. -NFL Football-

With that said, Dallas has not lost against the number in four tries and three straight at home. The Cardinals slipped to a 2-5 ATS for the campaign. -NFL Football-

Chicago 19 at Detroit 13 (-3 / 32 ½)

The Bears are running away with the NFC North. Under bettors are running away with the moneybag, no matter how low the number, collecting in six of seven Chicago games this season. -NFL Football-

Cleveland 16 at Houston 19 (-1 / 37)

The Texans are winless no more. No matter how ugly, Houston got by the hapless Browns and also grabbed the cash for the second time in seven games this season. Not exactly an awesome achievement, but at least it’s something for the Texans’ faithful to cheer about. -NFL Football-

Cheering even louder were Browns fans who have found some resolve in riding the under, which has now appeared in five straight Cleveland games. -NFL Football-

Green Bay 14 at Cincinnati 21 (-9 / 46)

Brett Favre was robbed for five interceptions. Six if you include the one that some crazy fan registered when he stole the ball from Favre’s hand during a fourth-quarter timeout. -NFL Football-

Or maybe that one was a fumble? Regardless, Favre commented that playing through this season sucks. But while it might suck for him, Packers fans find themselves cashing tickets for the fourth time in the last five games. -NFL Football-

Jacksonville 21 at St. Louis 24 (5 / 40 ½)

The money poured in on the Jaguars just prior to kick off. However that cash ended up in the pockets of Rams’ supporters by the time the final whistle blew. -NFL Football-

The RCA Dome must have looked like heaven for over backers here as both teams witnessed their high-scoring streaks continue. The over has now hit in five of six Rams games, and in three straight Jacksonville contests. -NFL Football-

Miami 21 at New Orleans 6 (-2 ½ / 41 ½)

The two-headed monster of Williams and Brown finally appeared for Miami, and the Dolphins ripped the Saints in what was their first true home game. -NFL Football-

On the heels of 188 rushing yards, Miami notched both its first win and cover of the season. Saints backers were left to watch the team go 0-11 on third downs, and ultimately drop the money for the fifth time in eight games. -NFL Football-

Kansas City 20 at San Diego 28 (-5 ½ / 52 ½)

The surging Bolts found a way to hang on for their fourth win in the last six games. They’ve gone 5-1 ATS during that stretch, and the under has now cashed in four straight San Diego contests. -NFL Football-

Oh yes, and L.T. casually tossed his third touchdown pass of the season. No, we’re not joking. -NFL Football-

Philadelphia 21 at Denver 49 (-4 / 43)

The Eagles are in serious danger of becoming extinct in the NFC East as both the Giants and Cowboys were victorious. Philly has now lost two of three games, with the defeats coming by a combined 51 points. They fumbled the coin in all three. -NFL Football-

Denver rebounded from a last-second defeat to the Giants last week and won for the sixth time in seven games. They’re 5-1-1 ATS during that stretch and the over has now cashed in four straight. -NFL Football-

Tampa Bay 10 at San Francisco 15 (10 / 36)

I happily admit that I would have never laid double-digits with the Bucs on the road in this one, but I also humbly admit that I wouldn’t have bet on San Francisco either. -NFL Football-

Sometimes this league just doesn’t make any sense. -NFL Football-

Buffalo 16 at New England 21 (-9 ½ / 44)

For a spell it looked as if the Bills would improve to 3-0 against AFC East opponents. That is until Brady engineered another game-winning drive. -NFL Football-

Despite the loss, Buffalo did remain perfect at 3-0 ATS within the division, and has now cashed in three of four overall. The defending champion Pats fell to 1-3 ATS when asked to lay points. -NFL Football-

Shawn Torrey is a handicapper with Covers Experts.

--- nfl ---
San Francisco
--- nfl ---
The Niners have suffered another major injury-induced blow with the season-ending loss of ILB Jeff Ulbrich, who tore his left biceps muscle attempting to tackle Colts RB Edgerrin James in the team’s 28-3 loss to Indianapolis in Week Five.

Ulbrich, who fought off the injury to lead both teams with 10 tackles and a forced fumble, was considered by both head coach Mike Nolan and assistant head coach/LB coach Mike Singletary to be the heart and soul of a defense that put forth a very respectable effort against the dangerous Colts. Ulbrich will be replaced by fourth-year player Saleem Rasheed, who has good speed and quickness but has also spent more time in the trainer’s room than the Niners would like.

Like Ulbrich, Rasheed is a serious student of the game, but Singletary would like to see him become more aggressive in his new starting role. It’s worth noting that Ulbrich’s loss made the puzzling trade of LB Jamie Winborn to Jacksonville seem even more poorly timed, also taking into account that OLB Julian Peterson missed most of the last two games with a hamstring injury.

NFL Preview - Pittsburgh (2-1) At San Diego (2-2)

By Tony Moss, NFL Editor -- The San Diego Chargers served notice of their strength by taking down one of the AFC's 2004 Championship Game participants last week. On Monday night within the electric atmosphere of Qualcomm Stadium, the Bolts will have a chance to whip up on the other one. The Pittsburgh Steelers will be the primetime opponent for a San Diego team that went to New England in Week 4 and ended the Patriots' 21-game home- winning streak in impressive 41-17 fashion. - NFL Football -
Pittsburgh will seek to slow Tomlinson with a linebacking group that includes James Farrior (31 tackles, 1 sack) and Larry Foote (15 tackles) on the inside of the team's 3-4 scheme. Up front, nose tackle Casey Hampton (8 tackles) and ends Aaron Smith (7 tackles) and Kimo von Oelhoffen (5 tackles) will try to slow Tomlinson at the point of attack. But while that group is stable, defending Tomlinson off the edge could be a problem with outside linebackers Joey Porter (9 tackles, 2 sack) and Clark Haggans (17 tackles, 3 sacks) potentially both on the shelf. Porter is considered questionable with a knee injury, and Haggans is out with a groin strain. James Harrison (9 tackles, 2 sacks), who had a sack of Tom Brady in Week 3, will likely fill in for Haggans. - NFL Football -
Charger quarterback Drew Brees (823 yards, 6 TD, 3 INT) has proved that his 2004 Pro Bowl season was no fluke, as the former Purdue standout has compiled a 99.2 passer rating through four games. Brees completed an efficient 19-of-24 passes for 248 yards and two touchdowns against New England, with the scoring strikes going to wideouts Keenan McCardell (18 receptions, 5 TD on the year) and Reche Caldwell (3 receptions, 1 TD). McCardell ended the day with just one catch for 11 yards, while Caldwell had two grabs for 36. Brees' favorite targets in the win were tight end Antonio Gates (18 receptions, 1 TD) and wideout Eric Parker (14 receptions), with Gates catching six balls for 108 yards and Parker netting four grabs for 51 on the day. Brees has been sacked just six times through four contests, and was not dropped at all by the defending Super Bowl champs last week. - NFL Football -
The Steelers, who held New England running back Corey Dillon to 61 yards on 22 carries two weeks ago, currently rank 11th in the league against the run (96.7 yards per game).Marty Schottenheimer's club, which left itself open to "fluke" discussion after opening the season 0-2, has righted its ship by scoring a total of 86 points in back-to-back wins over the Giants and Pats. The Steelers, meanwhile, have had 15 days to lick their wounds since a 23-20 home loss to that very same New England team in Week 3. Bill Cowher and company, who opened the year with dominating performances against Tennessee (34-7) and Houston (27-7), will be looking to gain on division-leading Cincinnati in the AFC North. - NFL Football -

SERIES HISTORY Pittsburgh has an 18-5 edge in its all-time regular season series with San Diego, including four straight victories since a 37-34 Chargers' home win over the Steelers in 1994. The Steelers were 40-24 home winners when the clubs last met, in 2003, and also emerged with a 34-21 triumph in their last trip to San Diego, in 2000. In addition to the regular season series, the teams have met twice in the postseason, with San Diego taking both contests. The Bolts were 31-28 road winners in a 1982 AFC First-Round Playoff and stunned the Steelers, 17-13, on the road in the 1994 AFC Championship. Cowher is 6-2 all-time against San Diego, including the aforementioned 1994 playoff loss. San Diego's Schottenheimer is 9-7 in his career against the Steelers, including an 0-1 record while with the Chargers (2002-05), a 2-4 mark as head coach in Kansas City (1989-98), and 7-2 while at the helm of the Browns (1984-88). Schottenheimer is 2-4 against Cowher all-time, including a win for his Chiefs against the Steelers in a 1993 AFC First-Round Playoff. - NFL Football -

STEELERS OFFENSE VS. CHARGERS DEFENSE The Pittsburgh rushing attack should get a jolt this week, as veterans Jerome Bettis (calf) and Duce Staley (knee) are expected to return at 100 percent against the Chargers. With the duo out during Weeks 1 and 2, former fourth- stringer Willie Parker (327 yards, 2 TD) thrived in the role of lead rusher. Parker was held to 55 yards on 17 carries against the Patriots, however. Staley returned for the New England loss, but did not have a carry. The return of Bettis could mean a reduced role for Verron Haynes (64 rushing yards, 1 TD, 2 receptions), who had two carries and a catch against New England. Fullback Dan Kreider (1 reception) will continue to quietly pave the way for all of the backs. The Steelers went into Sunday's games ranked fifth in the league in rushing offense (140 yards per game). The task of stopping Parker and the Pittsburgh run game will fall to a San Diego defense that entered Week 5 ranked seventh in the league against the rush (91.5 yards per game). The Bolts held New England's Corey Dillon to 63 yards on 14 carries a week ago. Inside linebacker Donnie Edwards (42 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT) posted a game-high 11 tackles in the win, and fellow ILB Randall Godfrey (22 tackles) chipped in with three. - NFL Football -
Up front, ends Luis Castillo (7 tackles) and Jacques Cesaire (7 tackles) have both been active against the run, and nose tackle Jamal Williams (6 tackles) has provided his usual presence. The trio combined for seven stops in the win over New England. Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (688 passing yards, 6 TD, 0 INT), comes into Week 5 with a glistening 131.8 passer rating, which tops the NFL. After being almost letter-perfect in his first two games of 2005, Roethlisberger completed just 12-of-28 passes in the New England loss. The second-year pro did make those completions count for 218 yards, however, and threw a pair of touchdowns. Both scoring strikes went to wideout Hines Ward (12 receptions, 4 TD), who collected an 85-yard TD catch in the first quarter and helped tie the game with a four-yard grab in the fourth. The perennial Pro Bowler finished the day with four catches for 110 yards, but is listed as questionable for Monday night with a hamstring injury. If Ward can't go or is at less than 100 percent, the pressure will be on fellow receivers Antwaan Randle El (7 receptions, 1 TD) and Cedrick Wilson (6 receptions) to compensate. - NFL Football -

Randle El and Wilson had two catches each in the New England loss. After being sacked just once through the team's first two games, Roethlisberger was dropped four times against the Patriots. Roethlisberger will want to take his shots against a San Diego secondary that is among the least-respected in the league. Chargers cornerbacks Drayton Florence (17 tackles), Quentin Jammer (12 tackles) and Sammy Davis (6 tackles, 1 sack) have all had their struggles in 2005, and are susceptible to the big play. Safeties Terrence Kiel (32 tackles, 1 sack) and Bhawoh Jue (19 tackles, 2 INT) have been more reliable. Kiel had eight tackles in the New England win, and Jue posted his second INT of the year. The Chargers enter Week 5 with 10 sacks on the season, including one from outside linebacker Ben Leber (15 tackles, 2 sacks) against Tom Brady last Sunday. Leber and fellow OLB Steve Foley (15 tackles, 2 sacks) are tied for the team lead in sacks, but Foley is considered questionable for this Sunday due to an abdominal injury. Rookie and first-round draft choice Shawne Merriman (5 tackles), who is still seeking his first sack as a pro, could see some time in Foley's place. San Diego was 26th in the league in passing defense (248.5 yards per game) entering Sunday's games. CHARGERS OFFENSE VS. STEELERS DEFENSE The Steelers defense figures to get a healthy dose of running back LaDainian Tomlinson (450 rushing yards, 9 receptions, 8 TD), who has had back-to-back monster games and is the NFL's current leader in touchdowns. - NFL Football -

Tomlinson carried 25 times for 134 yards and two touchdowns in last week's win over New England, also catching three balls for 34 yards out of the backfield on the day. Tomlinson, who started the season slowly by his standards, now leads the AFC in rushing and is averaging 5.4 yards per rush. Backup Michael Turner (69 rushing yards) spelled Tomlinson with 44 yards on 11 carries last week. Rookie Darren Sproles (41 rushing yards, 2 receptions) carried twice against New England and caught a pass, but is listed as questionable for Monday with an ankle injury. The Chargers are currently second in the NFC in rushing (158.2 yards per game), trailing only the Falcons. Brees will try to pick apart a Pittsburgh secondary that had some trouble stopping Tom Brady in Week 3. Brady completed 31-of-41 passes for 372 yards in the win, also marching the Patriots toward a game-winning field goal with little resistance in the waning moments. Cornerbacks Ike Taylor (29 tackles) and Deshea Townsend (13 tackles, 1 sack) will likely be matched up with McCardell and Parker, and safeties Troy Polamalu (12 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT) and Chris Hope (20 tackles, 1 INT) will have to watch Gates over the middle of the field. Pittsburgh had three sacks off of Brady in Week 3, and now has 14 on the year. Polamalu is tied for the team lead with three sacks on the year, and outside linebackers Porter and Harrison have two each. - NFL Football -

The Steelers are giving up 220 passing yards per game, which ranks 20th in the league. OVERALL ANALYSIS Normally, you would have to worry about how the Chargers would follow an impressive win on the road against the defending Super Bowl champs. Luckily for San Diego, the Bolts should have little trouble summoning the necessary emotion in a Monday night game played before a raucous home crowd. With the Steelers banged up a bit at linebacker, Tomlinson and Gates should be able to find their usual holes, and San Diego should be able to move the chains effectively. Roethlisberger should be able to thrive as well, and the Pittsburgh running game will also make its gains, but Ward's shaky injury status could deprive the team of one of its top weapons. That will make a difference in the endgame, as the Chargers are able to make one more big play down the stretch than the Steelers. Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Chargers 27, Steelers 23 - NFL Football -

Copyright 2005 Courtesy of SportsNetwork.

TV blackout lifted in San Antonio

NFL.com wire reports

NEW YORK (Sept. 29, 2005) -- The NFL lifted the blackout on the Buffalo-New Orleans game Oct. 2 at the Alamodome, allowing the San Antonio CBS affiliate to carry the contest.

Saints home games in San Antonio against Atlanta on Oct. 16 and Detroit on Dec. 24 also may be televised by the local affiliate, the league announced. The Saints relocated to the Alamodome because of Hurricane Katrina. - NFL Football -

In two weeks, more than 140,000 tickets were sold for the three games in San Antonio. The Saints will play four games in Baton Rouge, La. - NFL Football -

"The NFL would like to congratulate both the New Orleans Saints and the greater San Antonio community for a job well done under very difficult circumstances," NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue said. "To sell more than 140,000 tickets under such extraordinary adversity is a testament to everyone involved." - NFL Football -

© 2005, NFL Enterprises LLC.

Euro TV network signs deal for NFL coverage

LONDON (Sept. 15, 2005) -- A European television network acquired rights to broadcast NFL games across much of the continent.

The North American Sports Network reached a four-year deal for exclusive NFL rights in 17 countries and shared rights in four others. The agreement begins this season and runs through 2008-09.

In most markets, NASN has the rights to broadcast at least six regular-season games a week, four of them live. The network will show 10 playoff games, the Super Bowl, the Pro Bowl and NFL Europe's championship game. NASN also plans to broadcast at least one hour daily of programming from the NFL Network.

"The NFL's popularity in Europe continues to grow and we believe that NASN's approach complements our strategy to maximize coverage and build our European fan base," said Katie Boes, senior director of international media for the NFL.

The deal includes Austria, Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Switzerland, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia.

© 2005, NFL Enterprises LLC.

Football Legend Jerry Rice Retires

(AP) Unwilling to be a bit player with the Broncos, Jerry Rice retired Monday, closing a 20-year career for the most productive receiver in NFL history.

Rice, 42, made his decision over the weekend at home in San Francisco, then returned to Broncos headquarters and met with coach Mike Shanahan. He played 20 NFL seasons.

"This is a happy day," he said. "I think the tears that you see basically is that I have really enjoyed this ride. - NFL Football -

"I'm done. I'm looking forward to the next phase of my life."

Shanahan confirmed what Rice already knew — that he would be a fourth or fifth receiver, at best this season — and Rice confirmed what many figured — that he would rather call it quits than be a bit player with the Broncos.

Rice signed with Denver over the summer, reuniting with Shanahan, who was his offensive coordinator in the 1990s in San Francisco. For Rice, the idea was to play for a coach who was familiar with him and for a team that could help him go out a winner.

Shanahan made it clear he would not promise Rice anything, not even a roster spot. Behind the scenes, though, Shanahan said he knew it would never come down to him having to cut the league's best all-time receiver: He figured if Rice knew it was time to go, he would step aside himself. - NFL Football -

"I've pushed this body for 20 years," Rice said. "I was never a coach potato, I was always working out. I had to prove myself every year.

"A lot of guys here were 3 when I started playing. I think those guys are pretty much amazed that I can still run the way I can run." - NFL Football -

©MMV, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.