Eagles run over Cowboys to clinch playoff berth

Football Betting Lines

12/26/2006 - Irving, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Garcia completed 15-of-23 passes for 238 yards and Brian Westbrook led a clock-controlling ground game with 122 rushing yards, as the Philadelphia Eagles clinched a playoff berth and gained the NFC East lead with a 23-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in a Christmas Day battle at Texas Stadium.

Correll Buckhalter gained 38 yards on the ground with a touchdown for the Eagles (9-6), who can capture the division title with a win over Atlanta on Sunday in Philadelphia or a Dallas (9-6) loss at home against Detroit in Week 17. Although both the Eagles and Cowboys have identical records, the Eagles would win the crown due to a season sweep of Dallas. Lito Sheppard's 102-yard interception return for a touchdown capped a dramatic 38-24 Eagles win over Dallas in Week 5.

Dallas, which has now dropped two of its last three on the heels of a four- game win streak, clinched a playoff berth last Sunday. The Cowboys were dominated at nearly every facet and were outgained, 426-201, losing to the Eagles for the 11th time in the last 14 meetings.

Garcia has re-energized a Philadelphia offense that was left for dead when star quarterback Donovan McNabb suffered a season-ending knee injury on November 19. Garcia's first start was a 45-21 loss to Indianapolis, but he has rebounded and guided the Eagles to four straight wins, including three consecutive divisional road games.

Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo finished 14-of-29 passing for 142 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Cowboys. Julius Jones and Marion Barber combined for just 80 rushing yards against the 28th-ranked rushing defense entering the game. Former Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens caught two passes for 23 yards and the lone Dallas touchdown in the loss.

Due to Philadelphia's win, the New Orleans Saints clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs.

Wwwc2i Football Betting News

<< Big Unit going back to Diamondbacks?
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Randy Johnson's days with the New York Yankees could be numbered. According to a report in the Newark Star-Ledger, the Yankees are in discussions with the Diamondbacks to trade Johnson, a five-time

<< Wade thrives, Heat shut down Kobe
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dwyane Wade had a spectacular Christmas afternoon, scoring 40 points, dishing out 11 assists and tying a career-high with four blocked shots, as the Heat rolled to a 101-85 over the Los Angeles Lakers.

<< NFL Inactives (Monday, December 25, 2006)
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The following is a list of the players placed on the inactive squad for this week's NFL games. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT DALLAS COWBOYS, 5:00 P.M. (ET) Eagles - RB Ryan Moats, G Max Jean-Gilles, T Pat McCoy

<< UCLA remains on top of poll; Clemson and Tennessee join Top 25
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the fifth consecutive week, UCLA remained atop the Associated Press college basketball poll. The Bruins (11-0) crushed Michigan, 92-55, and also dismantled Sam Houston State this past week

<< ACC represents top of women's poll as Oklahoma falls
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Maryland, North Carolina, and now Duke, hold the top three spots in the latest Associated Press women's college basketball poll as Oklahoma tumbled out of the third spot and all the way down to eight. With

Jets inch closer to playoffs by edging Dolphins >>
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Leon Washington's 64-yard jaunt on a screen pass set up Mike Nugent's winning field goal with 10 seconds remaining, as the New York Jets moved closer to the playoffs with a 13-10 win over the Miami Dolphin

Packers/Bears selected for Sunday night; wild chase for playoffs >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NFL has moved this coming Sunday night's game between Green Bay and the Chicago Bears to 8:15 p.m. (et) as part of the flexible scheduling system. There were other games moved back to later in the afte

Rockets stop off in Indiana >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Rockets hit the road this evening to take on the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse. Houston will visit Indiana and New Jersey on its brief trip and is 8-8 as the visitor this season. The Rockets have lost t

Grizzlies, Wizards meet at Verizon Center >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Memphis Grizzlies try and stop a three-game losing streak tonight when they pay a visit to the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center. Memphis, the NBA's worst team, suffered a 100-97 loss to the Utah Jazz on Satur

Pistons welcome Nets to The Palace >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Central Division-leading Detroit Pistons aim for their fifth straight win when they host the New Jersey Nets tonight at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit, which owns a two-game lead over Chicago in the division, ha

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."

Bet on NFL

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.

Bet on NFL

Mysportsbook.com online online sportsbook accepts Visa & Mastercard

Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.