Chargers blow out Broncos, pull off unlikely division crown
Football Betting Lines
12/28/2008 - San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LaDainian Tomlinson rushed for 96 yards and three touchdowns, and the Chargers completed an improbable regular season- ending run, thrashing Denver, 52-21, to win the AFC West Division title.
Darren Sproles had 115 yards on the ground and a score for San Diego, which captured its third straight division crown thanks to winning its final four regular season games. Philip Rivers connected on 15-of-20 passes for 207 yards and a pair of TDs for the Chargers, who won their 14th straight December game and became the first 8-8 division champion since the Cleveland Browns captured the AFC Central with the same mark in 1985.
It will be a familiar playoff opponent for the Chargers, who will host Indianapolis (12-4) next Saturday night at 8 p.m. (et). San Diego eliminated the Colts in the divisional round last year with that game taking place in Indianapolis. The Colts, winners of their last nine games, beat the Chargers in San Diego earlier this season, picking up a 23-20 win on Adam Vinatieri's 51-yard field goal with no time remaining on November 23.
Rivers had 34 passing touchdowns on the season, a franchise-record, passing the mark of 33 set by Dan Fouts in 1981. Also, Tomlinson has 126 career rushing TDs, passing Marcus Allen for second-most in league history.
A victory against the Broncos avenged a controversial 39-38 loss for San Diego (8-8) at Denver in Week 2, a result aided by referee Ed Hochuli's errant whistle on what should have been ruled a Jay Cutler fumble in the closing moments. The call allowed the Broncos to maintain possession, score a touchdown and pull out the win with a gutsy two-point conversion.
Denver became the first team since NFL divisions were formed in 1967 to miss the playoffs after holding a three-game lead with three to play. It was an ugly end to the season for the Broncos, who lost by 20 points at Carolina on December 14 and faltered at home in a 30-23 final to Buffalo last week before getting blown out by their divisional foe.
Cutler completed 33-of-49 passes for 316 yards with a score and was picked off twice for the Broncos (8-8), who lost out on the division thanks to a 3-3 mark against AFC West opponents, compared to a 5-1 record for the Chargers.
Sacramento, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kevin Garnett logged 21 points and 11 rebounds in just 23 minutes of action and the Boston Celtics breezed back into the win column with a resounding 108-63 victory over the Sacramento Kings. Ray All
<< Oilers light up Ellis, Nashville
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Erik Cole finished with a goal and two
assists, as the Edmonton Oilers used a three-goal second period to topple the
Nashville Predators, 5-2.
Sam Gagner and Sheldon Souray each had a goal and an
<< Rutgers has no solution for Hansbrough, Tar Heels
Chapel Hill, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tyler Hansbrough scored 26 points and
pulled down 10 rebounds to pace top-ranked North Carolina to a 97-75 win over
Rutgers.
Ty Lawson had 19 points and Danny Green contributed 18 points for the
<< Favre to have MRI on shoulder
East Rutherford, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New York Jets quarterback Brett
Favre will have an MRI exam on his right shoulder on Monday, following the
club's season-ending 24-17 loss to Miami on Sunday.
Favre completed 20-of-40 p
<< Hornets hand Pacers another heartbreaking loss
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - David West hit the go-ahead jumper with
2.5 seconds remaining, boosting New Orleans to a 105-103 win over the Indiana
Pacers.
West finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Hornets, who have
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kobe Bryant connected on 9-of-15 from the floor and 10-of-10 from the free throw line for a game-high 31 points as the Lakers pounded the Warriors, 130-113. Both teams were coming off victories over B
LA Tech edges NIU to win Independence Bowl >>
Shreveport, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Daniel Porter logged 78 yards on the ground
with a touchdown and Phillip Livas returned a kickoff for a score, as the
Louisiana Tech Bulldogs edged the Northern Illinois Huskies, 17-10, in the
33rd an
Canucks keep Ottawa sputtering on the road >>
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Curtis Sanford stopped 18 shots for his fifth
career shutout as Vancouver beat Ottawa 3-0, sending the Senators to their
12th consecutive road defeat.
Alexander Edler, Henrik Sedin and Pavol Demitra eac
Canucks' Pyatt out indefinitely >>
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Vancouver Canucks forward Taylor Pyatt will
be sidelined indefinitely after breaking a bone in his right foot during a
loss to Edmonton on Friday.
Pyatt suffered the injury after blocking a second per
Report: Red Sox close to signing Penny, Bard >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Red Sox are close to signing starting
pitcher Brad Penny and catcher Josh Bard, according to a report from the
Boston Globe late Sunday night.
Though the signing of Penny would pale in co
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.
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
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