Bucs Supporters Shouldn't Panic

Football Betting Lines

10/09/2007 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - At this very moment, they're obsessing about the running back situation in Tampa Bay.

In the wake of a serious ankle injury suffered by Michael Pittman in Sunday's 33-14 loss to Indianapolis, fans are scanning the free agent wire, dreaming up intricate trade scenarios, making panic-stricken calls to local radio talk show hosts.

Media types are pointing to Pittman's injury, drawing a line from it to previous season-enders suffered by Cadillac Williams and Mike Alstott, and trotting out their doomsday scenarios.

Easy there.

Since when was this the Ground Chuck offense? Heck, this running game hasn't even run with anything resembling Martyball efficiency since Warrick Dunn left town.

Pittman was a nice third-down back who had proven long before he reached his current age of 32 that he couldn't deliver as an every-down player.

Williams had not seemed to regain his 2005 Rookie of the Year form at any point before tearing his ACL against Carolina in Week 4.

Alstott, whose career is likely over due to a neck problem, was never much of a factor in Gruden's offense anyway.

The offensive line that all of these backs would have run behind is a young, thin, work in progress.

So let's not pretend that the Buccaneers were ever going to ride their running game to a division crown and playoff glory. The situation for Tampa Bay remains the same as it ever was, and the fortunes for the 2007 edition of this team will continue to be about three similar-sounding words: Defense, defense, and defense.

It was that side of the ball that got Tampa Bay to 3-1 in the first place, and it is the department run by legendary coordinator Monte Kiffin that will need to play up to its dominant capabilities if the Bucs are to win the division, which frankly, they still should.

To be certain, the Buccaneers defense was not a strength in Sunday's loss, but that's no big deal.

Because you can't pressure him, Peyton Manning (29-of-37, 237 yards, 2 TD) carves up the Cover-2. Always has, always will. Gruden's team is not going to see another quarterback with anything resembling his skill set for the rest of 2007, so they can put their Week 5 loss away. The 121 rushing yards and two touchdowns someone named Kenton Keith rumbled for against the defense were simply a by-product of the focus on Manning and the passing game. Former Hardcastle and McCormick star Brian Keith could have run for 121 under those circumstances.

Moving forward, the defense will look more like the one that had its way with the Saints, Rams, and Panthers, than the one that struggled in Indianapolis.

Thanks to Manning, the Tampa Bay offense only had the ball for 21-plus minutes in Week 5, so you can't use that game as evidence that the lack of a running game has sunk the Buccaneers. Earnest Graham, who will now become the every- down ball-carrier, only got six carries (totaling 11 yards) because the Bucs fell into a 13-0 hole and were forced to try to pass their way out. Quarterback Jeff Garcia couldn't match Manning's production (who could?) but was an efficient 18-of-23 for 143 yards and capped off a couple of long drives with TD passes.

There is every reason to expect that this offense will run at a capable level over the next 11 games, even if it fails to score in bunches.

And let's face it, 9-7 will be enough to win an NFC South title in 2007, so it's not as if the Buccaneers (3-2) have to win out. New Orleans can't get out of its own way offensively, Carolina just turned its season over to the immortal David Carr, and Atlanta is quite possibly the worst team in the NFL.

Even if it's by default, the Buccaneers are still the team to beat in this division.

In other words, Bucs fans, you can come in off the ledge. Leeman Bennett is not coming back to town, and your prospects for '07 remain very much intact.

THE NEW NO. 2

The Buccaneers are expected to make a move to obtain a veteran back later this week, but until that player can learn the offense, the top two players on the depth chart at the position will be Graham and rookie Kenneth Darby.

Darby has made a meteoric and somewhat unlikely rise to prominence after being released when the team made its final cuts Sept. 1. Shortly after being dumped, the 2007 seventh-round draft pick out of Alabama was signed to the practice squad. He was moved to the 53-man roster after Williams was injured against the Panthers, and was active but did not play against Indianapolis last Sunday.

Darby, a 5-foot-10, 211-pound runner, received extensive action in the preseason when he posted team-highs in carries (33), yards (135), and rushing touchdowns (1). Darby also caught five passes for 36 yards out of the backfield.

The Huntsville, AL native is the third player in Alabama history to rush for more than 3,000 yards in a career (3,324), joining Shaun Alexander (3,565 yards, 1996-99) and Bobby Humphrey (3,420 yards, 1985-88).

STILL NO PICKS

Garcia couldn't lead the Bucs to a win on Sunday, but did manage to go interception-free for the eighth consecutive game dating back to last season. Garcia last threw a pick on Christmas night 2006, in a win for the Eagles over the Cowboys.

Of NFL quarterbacks to start every game for their team this season, only Garcia and Jacksonville's David Garrard have yet to fire an INT.

In his past two seasons, including a pair of playoff games, Garcia has 16 touchdown passes against just two interceptions.

NEXT UP: TENNESSEE

The Buccaneers will return home this week to try to get well against Vince Young and the 3-1 Tennessee Titans.

The Titans have a 7-1 edge in the all-time series with the Buccaneers, including a 33-13 home win when the teams last met, in 2003. Tennessee also won the most recent meeting between the squads in Tampa Bay, a 31-22 victory in 1998. The Bucs are 0-5 in the series since scoring their only win, at home against the then-Houston Oilers, in 1983.

Titans head coach Jeff Fisher is 4-0 in his career against the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers' Gruden is 0-3 all-time against both Fisher and Tennessee, including an 0-2 mark while with Oakland (1998-2001).

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MySportsbook.com: NBA Championship Odds

With the playoffs about two months away, the top two teams in the Western Conference are the clear cut leaders to win the NBA Championship. The Dallas Mavericks have the best record in the NBA (44-9) and have been absolutely scorching since the second week of the season.  What makes the Mavs’ record more impressive is the fact that they dropped their first four games of the season.  Currently they have won 17 out of their last 18 and are MySportsbook.com’s favorite (2-1) to win it all.  Right behind the Mavs are the Pacific leading Phoenix Suns (39-13).  Last season, the Suns lost in the Conference Finals to non-other then the Mavericks four games to two.  Of course the Suns were without center Amare Stoudemire who has is averaging 19.9 PPG and 9.5 RPG since coming back from his knee injury.  Unlike the Mavs, the Suns have struggled a bit lately having lost their last three and four out of their last seven.  Of course the main reason for their three straight loses is due to the absence of two time MVP Steve Nash, who is out with a shoulder injury.  Heads-up, the Mavs have beaten the Suns in both of their meetings this season.

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Just because it is the All-Star break doesn’t mean that you can’t bet on NBA hoops this weekend.  Be sure to log onto MySportsbook.com to bet on who you think will cut down the nets this July. Also, be sure to check out all of the lines and props for All-Star weekend.  With the highest credit card acceptance rate in the industry, there are plenty of ways to cash in on the NBA this weekend.

MySportsbook.com’s NBA Championship odds:

Atlanta Hawks 1000-1

Boston Celtics 5000-1

Charlotte Bobcats 5000-1

Chicago Bulls 20-1

Cleveland Cavaliers 20-1

Dallas Mavericks 2-1

Denver Nuggets 25-1

Detroit Pistons 6-1

Golden State Warriors 250-1

Houston Rockets 12-1

Indiana Pacers 60-1

Los Angeles Clippers 45-1

Memphis Grizzlies 5000-1

Miami Heat 9-1

Milwaukee Bucks 1000-1

Minnesota T-Wolves 200-1

New Jersey Nets 50-1

New Orleans Hornets 150-1

New York Knicks 150-1

Orlando Magic 75-1

Philadelphia 76ers 1000-1

Phoenix Suns 5-2

Portland TrailBlazers 1000-1

Sacramento Kings 250-1

San Antonio Spurs 9-1

Seattle Sonics 5000-1

Toronto Raptors 35-1

Utah Jazz 20-1

Washington Wizards 25-1

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Football Betting Lines

The 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds have been released and Denver Broncos' running back Knowshon Moreno has been made the opening favorite.

Bet NFL Sports Lines

Moreno was selected in the first round of April's NFL draft and is expected to carry the rushing load for the Broncos this season. And with Jay Cutler now in Chicago, Moreno might be expected to be Denver's entire offense.

Betting Lines from sports betting lines have made Moreno a 5/2 favorite to win this year's Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Fellow running back Chris “Beanie” Wells (Arizona Cardinals) is right behind Moreno at 7/2, while Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) and receiver Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) are 5/1 to win. Quarterbacks Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) and Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) are 7/1 and 8/1, respectively.

A couple of players who present some value are Josh Freeman, Shonn Green and Darrius Heyward-Bey.

Freeman needs to beat out Byron Leftwich to become the starting quarterback of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but if he does, he has a lot or raw talent and could use the weapons around him (i.e. Kellen Winslow Jr. and Antonio Bryant) to be very successful in his first season.

Green enters a crowded backfield in New York, but considering both Thomas Jones and Leon Washington are unhappy about their contract situations and might holdout, the former Iowa product could become the Jets' primary back.

Everyone was shocked when Al Davis took Heyward-Bey with the eighth overall pick in April's draft, but the kid has a tremendous amount of talent and if quarterback JaMarcus Russell takes the next step this year, the former Maryland product could blossom. Plus, Heyward-Bey will be looking to prove the people wrong who said Oakland should have taken Michael Crabtree with the No. 8 pick.

And if you're looking for a deep sleeper, check out Pat White at 30/1. He enters the Miami Dolphins vaunted “Wild Cat” offense and could be a big time playmaker.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, see below.

2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Odds to Win

Ramses Barden (NYG) 40/1

Andre Brown (NYG) 20/1

Donald Brown (IND) 5/1

Kenny Britt (TEN) 20/1

Glenn Coffee (SFO) 30/1

Chase Coffman (CIN) 50/1

Michael Crabtree (SFO) 5/1

Josh Freeman (TB) 14/1

Shonn Green (NYJ) 14/1

Percy Harvin (MIN) 10/1

Darrius Heyward-Bay (OAK) 18/1

Juaquan Iglesias (CHI) 30/1

Cornelius Ingram (PHI) 50/1

Rashad Jennings (JAC) 30/1

Johnny Knox (CHI) 40/1

Jeremy Maclin (PHI) 18/1

Mohamed Massaquoi (CLE) 30/1

LeSean McCoy (PHI) 12/1

Knowshon Moreno (DEN) 5/2

Hakeem Nicks (NYG) 18/1

Brandon Pettigrew (DET) 30/1

Brian Robiskie (CLE) 20/1

Mark Sanchez (NYJ) 7/1

Matthew Stafford (DET) 8/1

Jason Smith (STL) 40/1

Mike Thomas (JAC) 25/1

Patrick Turner (MIA) 50/1

Mike Wallace (PIT) 50/1

Chris Wells (ARI) 7/2

Pat White (MIA) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 9/1

Betting Line

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