: Julio Jones Injury: Updates on Falcons Star's Hamstring and Return. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwroXT0SI
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
NFL Receivers with Fastest First Step.
Bleacher Report: NFL Receivers with Fastest First Step. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwrIXT0SI
Cardale Jones to Start vs. Western Michigan: Latest Comments, Reaction.
Bleacher Report: Cardale Jones to Start vs. Western Michigan: Latest Comments, Reaction. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIwxIGHuyM
Now or Never for Cardale as OSU's Starter.
Bleacher Report: Now or Never for Cardale as OSU's Starter. http://google.com/newsstand/s/CBIw0qmxlyU
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Friday, September 11, 2015
Thursday, September 10, 2015
The Browns formula to beat the Jets
The Browns formula to beat the Jets
Posted September 10, 2015 | Kevin Jones
The Browns formula to beat the Jets
00:02
Mike Pettine Full Press Conference - 9/10
We've told you our five matchups to watch, why Danny Shelton will be so important against the New York Jets and how Mike Pettine and the coaching staff put more energy into their Week 1 opponent than anyone else on the schedule.
So how will the Browns win their first season opener since 2004? We dive right in.
Browns offensive strategy vs. Jets defense
-Short, quick-fire, West Coast passing, ala the long touchdown drives in the preseason against the Buccaneers. In training camp, the Browns did an adequate job in spreading out the location of their passing game, equally using the middle of the field and the sidelines. Against the Jets, scattering the field - and attacking the middle - is necessary because of Pro Bowl cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie.
-"We spent a lot of time in our game planning process (this week) putting guys in the right spots," offensive coordinator John DeFilippo said. "If you looked at our playbook, we probably have more formations than a lot of people because our guys have such different skill sets."
-Mixing in some deep passes down the field to Taylor Gabriel and Travis Benjaminwill be critical. Gabriel's 17.3 yards per catch last season was tops in the AFC. And it would be hard to name a player who had a better preseason than Benjamin, who caught a touchdown pass and scored another on a punt return.
"We are going to need to find a way to create explosive pass gains," DeFilippo said.
-20 touches - not necessarily carries - from Isaiah Crowell for at least 80 yards should be an attainable goal for the running back. After missing extensive practice time in the spring of 2014, Crowell didn't miss a single practice this offseason and his grasp of the offense is at a completely different level in his second NFL season.
-"He's gotten a lot more patient in the screen game," DeFilippo said about Crowell's improved pass-catching skills.
Browns defense strategy vs. Jets offense
-Buffalo offensive coordinator Chan Gailey is renowned for scheming up big-play wide receivers in one-on-one situations. Browns defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil is expecting Brandon Marshall to be targeted a bunch Sunday and Cleveland will have to limit him - and it may not just be Joe Haden alone.
-"A lot of our guys will have a chance to go against him so I am looking forward to that matchup," O'Neil said. "It will let us know where we're at at that position."
-Cleveland isn't going to measure its success on defense by the number of times it clobbers the quarterback, but rather how often Ryan Fitzpatrick isn't throwing from a clean pocket. In watching film on the Jets, we've noticed Fitzpatrick has accuracy issues when his feet aren't set.
-"He is a hard quarterback to sack," O'Neil said. "But you have to affect him in more way than just sacking him."
-Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. Cleveland had 21 interceptions in 2014, second-best in the NFL. Opportunities to pounce on Fitzpatrick might end up being slim. But for the first time since last November, the Browns will get all four starters in the secondary on the field together.
-"It is going to be the backbone of our defense," O'Neil said
The Linemakers’ Game of the Week: Patriots, Ravens square off in AFC championship rematch
The Linemakers’ Game of the Week: Patriots, Ravens square off in AFC championship rematch http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-09-20/patriots-vs-ravens-point-spread-odds-vegas-betting-line-week-3
Entries up 22% for opener as Churchill Downs commences September Meet
Entries up 22% for opener as Churchill Downs commences September Meet
By: Twinspires.com on September 9, 2015
Racing returns to Churchill Downs on Friday with a 10-race program beginning at 12:45 p.m. (ET) as the famed Louisville racetrack opens its third September Meet for an action-packed 11-date run through September 27.
Inaugurated by Churchill Downs in 2013, the three-week September Meet provides Kentucky horsemen with an opportunity to compete for ample prize money mainly on dirt in advance of the popular Keeneland and Churchill Downs fall meets. Some events on this year’s eight-race, $1.025 million stakes schedule could serve as steppingstones to the October 30-31 Breeders’ Cup World Championships in Lexington, including the $175,000 Lukas Classic on Sept. 26 which was recently renamed to honor 80-year-old Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.
Ninety-four horses and seven also-eligible entries were entered Tuesday for Friday’s opener, which includes two allowances and three maiden special weights. Entries were up 22% compared to the 77 on last year’s 10-race opening day program.
Friday’s featured ninth race at 4:49 p.m. is a $42,200 second-level allowance/optional claiming event at six furlongs that attracted eight fillies and mares led by Scarlet Stable’s House of Sole, a 4-year-old daughter of Limehouse who finished second at short odds last time out at Indiana Downs after impressively winning a first-level allowance at Churchill Downs in June for trainer Roger Brueggemann.
Two of the three maiden allowance races are for 2-year-olds at one mile. Trainer Mark Casse appears to hold a strong hand in both $38,200 races with Conquest Stables’ Conquest Big E, a first-time starter in Race 5 (2:45 p.m.), and John C. Oxley’s Gametown, a runner-up on grass at Saratoga in Race 8 (4:18 p.m.).
Horsemen can compete for $3,958,300 in prize money offered in Director of Racing Ben Huffman’s 109-race condition book, which averages to $359,845 per day. Last year, $3,864,487 was paid to horsemen over 12 dates and 122 races for a daily average of $322,041.
The September Meet’s eight-race stakes schedule cumulatively worth $1,025,000 kicks off Saturday, with a stakes quartet, including two important 1 1/16-mile fixtures for juveniles that could produce starters in next spring’s $2 million Kentucky Derby (G1) and $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1).
The $150,000 Iroquois (G3) kicks off the 35-race “Road to the Kentucky Derby” series (Top 4 Points: 10-4-2-1), while the $200,000 Pocahontas (G2) starts the 31-race “Road to the Kentucky Oaks” (Top 4 Points: 10-4-2-1). Also, both races are Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” Challenge events, which means the winners will receive automatic berths in the starting gate for their respective Breeders’ Cup races on October 31.
Saturday’s stakes foursome is completed by a pair of stakes for fillies and mares, the $100,000 Locust Grove over 1 1/16 miles and $100,000 Open Mind at six furlongs.
The $100,000 Dogwood (G3) for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs will be the featured event on September 19 – the lone Downs After Dark night racing event of the September Meet.
A stakes tripleheader topped by the Lukas Classic – a 1 1/8-mile race designed as a prep for the 1 ¼-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic and November’s Clark H. (G1) – will be showcased on September 26. Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Fort Larned won the inaugural 2013 running when it was known as the Homecoming Classic. The race was won last year by Cigar Street, who would finish seventh to Bayern in the 2014 Classic at Santa Anita.
The Lukas Classic will share the spotlight with top milers in the $100,000 Ack Ack Handicap (G3) and 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Jefferson Cup (G3) at one mile on the Matt Winn Turf Course – the only stakes race on grass during the meet.
The Lukas Classic and Iroquois received $50,000 purse hikes for 2015.
Monday, September 7, 2015
Game of the Day: Ohio State at Virginia Tech
covers.com
Game of the Day: Ohio State at Virginia Tech
Covers
Ohio State at Virginia Tech (+14, 53)
Top-ranked Ohio State starts its quest to repeat as national champion when it visits Virginia Tech on Monday. The Buckeyes will certainly be gunning for the Hokies as their lone defeat of their championship season came when Virginia Tech posted a 35-21 victory at Ohio Stadium.
The Buckeyes haven't decided whether J.T. Barrett or Cardale Jones will start but it will be no surprise if both quarterbacks see action. Barrett was Ohio State's signal caller most of last season and passed for 34 touchdowns and ran for 11 more before fracturing an ankle and Jones guided the Buckeyes to their final three wins, including the title-game triumph over Oregon. "We've still got time to decide," Ohio State coach Urban Meyer told reporters. "I think a lot of it is going to be in-game, how's it going, and do we need a change." Virginia Tech has been to 22 consecutive bowl games but the program has slid in recent campaigns and is 22-17 over the past three seasons.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, ESPN.
LINE HISTORY: Sportsbooks opened the Hokies as 12.5-point underdogs, but that's since been bumped up to +14.
INJURY REPORT: Ohio State - C. Jones (probable), N. Brown (out for season), M. Weber (late September), J. Bosa (eligible), J. Marshall (eligible Sept. 12), C. Smith (eligible Sept. 12), D. Wilson (eligible Sept. 12). Virginia Tech - S. McKenzie (eligible Sept. 12).
WEATHER: The forecast is calling for partly sunny skies with eastern winds of 5-10 mph.
CHEERLEADER WAR:
ABOUT OHIO STATE (2014: 14-1): There are no questions at running back with title game MVP Ezekiel Elliott back for his junior campaign. Elliott rushed for 696 yards and eight touchdowns in the Buckeyes' final three contests last season and totaled 1,878 rushing yards - second in school history behind Eddie George's 1,927 in 1995 - and 18 rushing touchdowns. The defense absorbs a hit for the opener due to the suspension of 2014 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Joey Bosa (a junior end who had 13.5 sacks in 2014) but still has plenty of talent in senior defensive tackle Adolphus Washington (10.5 tackles for losses), senior weak-side linebacker Joshua Perry (team-best 124 tackles), sophomore strong-side linebacker Darron Lee (7.5 sacks) and sophomore cornerback Eli Apple (three interceptions).
ABOUT VIRGINIA TECH (2014: 7-6): Senior quarterback Michael Brewer is striving to be more consistent this season after throwing 15 interceptions to go with 2,692 yards and 18 touchdowns last season. Senior running back J.C. Coleman (533 yards in 2014) won the starting gig and injury-prone junior Trey Edmunds will also get some work, while sophomore receiver Isaiah Ford (56 receptions, six touchdowns) and sophomore tight end Bucky Hodges (45 catches, seven touchdowns) are solid targets. The top player on the defense is junior cornerback Kendall Fuller (eight career interceptions), who is on his way to becoming the fourth brother in his family to be selected in the NFL Draft and each of them (Vincent, Corey, Kyle) also starred at Virginia Tech.
TWEET BEAT:
TRENDS:
*Hokies are 2-5 ATS in their last 7 home games.
*Over is 4-1 in Hokies last 5 home games.
*Buckeyes are 9-4 ATS in their last 13 games overall.
*Buckeyes are 4-0 ATS in their last 4 non-conference games.
COVERS CONSENSUS: According to Covers Consensus, 57 percent of users are backing the reigning champion Buckeyes.
Sunday, September 6, 2015
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