Ducks and Huskies clash in Pac-10 tussle

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10/21/2009 - Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Following a week off, the conference-leading Oregon Ducks get back to work this weekend, when they take on the Washington Huskies in a Pac-10 tussle in the Pacific Northwest.

Chip Kelly's tenure in Eugene did not kickoff the way he would have liked, with the team dropping an ugly 19-8 decision to Boise State. However, Kelly has made all the right moves since, with the Ducks winning five straight games since. Oregon is currently the only undefeated team in league play and moved to 3-0 in-conference with a solid 24-10 win at UCLA back on October 10th.

Kelly knows what it takes to be successful in the Pac-10. "To be great in this league, you have to win on the road." The Ducks will attempt to do just that against a surprising Washington squad.

Steve Sarkisian is also in his first season at the helm of his program and although the Huskies are just 3-4 thus far, it is a vast improvement from a winless 2008 campaign. In fact, the team is 2-2 in league play thus far, with wins over both USC (16-13) and Arizona (36-33). Washington enters this game following last week's 24-17 loss at Arizona State.

UW leads the all-time series by a count of 58-38-5. However, Oregon has won each of the last five meetings and has averaged over 41 points per game in those five wins.

Oregon lost its star tailback to a year-long suspension following the end of the season-opener, but surprisingly, the ground game has not missed a step. In fact, the Ducks possess one of the nation's premier rushing attacks (16th nationally), averaging 202.7 yards per game.

Freshman LaMichael James has really stepped up and paid immediate dividends, averaging over six yards per carry and nearly 100 yards per game, with four TDs to date. Quarterback Jeremiah Masoli won't put much fear in secondaries with his passing (149.6 ypg), but he is a dangerous dual threat, with the ability to make things happen with his feet (team-high five rushing TDs). Tight end Ed Dickson is clearly the go-to-guy when the team does put the ball in the air. Dickson has 25 receptions, for 333 yards and four TDs (all team- highs).

Oregon has played lights-out defense over the last month or so, holding the last three opponents to a combined 19 points. The team has been particularly good against the pass, ranking 15th nationally in pass defense, allowing a mere 163.7 ypg. This is a big play unit that has already recorded 16 takeaways in six games, 41 TFLs and 18 sacks.

Middle linebacker Casey Matthews paces the team in tackles (42), with 2.5 sacks and one INT. Safeties John Boyett (37 tackles, two INTs) and Javes Lewis (37 tackles, one sack, one INT and one fumble recovery) highlight the play in the secondary. Junior end Kenny Rowe has caused real problems for opposing QBs, recording a team-high 6.5 sacks to go along with three forced fumbles.

The Huskies have their star quarterback healthy and that has made all the difference in the world compared to last season. With Jake Locker commanding the troops, Washington will be competitive in just about every game this year.

Balance is the key to UW's success, with the team averaging 117.7 ypg on the ground and 243.1 through the air. Locker has helped out in both regards, throwing for 1.702 yards and 11 TDs, while rushing for four more. Locker teams with tailback Chris Polk (4.2 ypc, two TDs) to provide most of the production on the ground.

The aerial assault is just scratching the surface of its full potential, with a young receiving corps consisting of freshman James Johnson (28 catches, for 318 yards, two TDs) and sophomores Jermaine Kearse (25 catches, 368 yards, two TDs) and Devin Aguilar (17 catches, 304 yards, three TDs). Aguilar in particular has stepped up of late, including a career performance in the loss to Arizona State (seven receptions, 154 yards, one TD).

"I know I'm a go-to guy, and a player that can help the offense and encourage them to do more as the season goes on and in each game."

The UW defense has lagged behind the offense in terms of production this season, with the team finding it difficult to stop both the run (162.4 ypg) and the pass (262.1 ypg) with any regularity.

The strength of the Husky defense is its linebackers, with Donald Butler (56 tackles, 8.5 TFLs, two INTs, two forced fumbles), Mason Foster (48 tackles, two INTs, three forced fumbles) and E.J. Savannah (40 tackles, one fumble recovery) all making plays. The team also possesses a legitimate pass rusher in the form of senior end Daniel Te'o-Nesheim (21 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, 5.0 sacks).

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Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

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Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

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The San Francisco 49ers (5-11 SU, 5-10-1 ATS in 2007; 1-1 SU & ATS in pre-season) found some offensive life last week, and they will try to build some momentum on Thursday night as they travel to the Windy City to take on the Chicago Bears (7-9 SU & ATS in 2007; 0-2 SU, 0-1-1 ATS in pre-season) in an NFL matchup that is set to get underway at 8 PM ET at Soldier Field (natural turf) in Chicago.

Thursday, August 21

NFL betting odds: CHICAGO -3 (-120), Total 37

NOTABLE STAT: San Francisco was last in points, last in total offense in 2007
KEY NFL BETTING TREND: SF has lost its last seven SU on pre-season road

In the BetUS NFL pre-season football betting odds, the Bears are listed as a three-point favorite (laying -120), with the total posted at 37 points.

Here are some NFL football betting trends as they relate to this matchup (reflecting numbers going into the 2008 season):

* SF has lost 11 of its last 14 games SU
* SF has covered three of its last 11 games
* SF has lost six of its last seven road games SU
* SF has covered one of its last seven road games
* CHI has covered five of its last eight games
* CHI has played five of its last seven games OVER the total
* CHI has covered four of its last 13 home games
* SF has lost its last seven pre-season road games SU
* CHI has covered two of its last seven home pre-season games

Well, I guess we should congratulate the Bears on making their quarterback choice for the season's opening game, as they have designated Kyle Orton the starter against Indianapolis. The Bears obviously have lost patience with Rex Grossman, and what they do with him at this point is anybody's guess. But suffice it to say that there isn't a quarterback competition anymore, at least in training camp.

Meanwhile, the quarterback competition may also be settled in San Francisco, where the Niners bounced back from a lackluster 18-6 loss to the Raiders, in which they turned the ball over four times, to execute a 34-6 rout of the Packers last Saturday. However, coach Mike Nolan has stopped short of saying that, insisting that the job is still open. But J.T. O'Sullivan, the longshot of the trio of Niner signal-callers who opened camp, will start his third straight pre-season game here. Against Green Bay, O'Sullivan was only 8-for-17, and was intercepted, but he also threw for 9.1 yards an attempt, which included a 59-yard TD pass to Josh Morgan. The others struggled.

Some offensive cohesion is badly needed, in light of the Niners' dismal 2007 campaign, in which they were dead last in the NFL in scoring, with just 13.7 points a game. And O'Sullivan is the guy who is most familiar with offensive coordinator Mike Martz's exacting system, because he learned it last year in Detroit. O'Sullivan will go at least the entire first half and may even last longer. He'll be relieved by Alex Smith, with Shawn Hill doing the mop-up work. Three receivers who were out last week - Bryant Johnson, Ashley Lelie and Arnaz Battle - will miss this game too.

That may hurt a little here, especially since the Bears will be using a lot of their defensive starters. And it's the defense that has been keeping the Bears in games thus far. In fact, the defense and special teams were responsible for the first 19 points Chicago scored against Seattle last time out, as the offense really struggled with Grossman at the controls. But maybe the first-team offense has a chance to settle a little bit as it works more with Orton at the helm.

Certainly we have concerns about the Bears' offensive line, but we like the scenario for them here, especially if O'Sullivan doesn't make some bis plays. The Niners may have nowhere else to turn right now, and they have lost seven straight road games in the pre-season. Let's take Chicago, the three-point favorite in the NFL football betting odds.

CHICAGO -3 (-120) **
(Graded on a scale of 1-4 stars)

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