Dallas (12-2) has clinched the top seed in the NFC. Detroit (9-5) can lock up at least a wild-card spot by beating the Cowboys on Monday night.
Betting
This could be a big night for Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan. He’s off to a hot start and facing one of the NFL’s softest defenses.
The Golden Bears, led by new quarterback Davis Webb, are 20-point favorites in the game at Sydney, Australia.
Westgate sports book director Jay Kornegay announced the SuperContest — the nation’s most prestigious NFL handicapping contest— will shift from 100 payback to an 8 percent takeout this year. The change was overdue.
Adversity and Urban Meyer cross paths about as often as it snows in the desert. This is one of those rare weeks. Meyer is coming off an ugly loss, and the chill in the air makes Las Vegas feel like Big Ten country.
The UNLV-Michigan game on Sept. 19 was one of 165 games on the board Friday when the Golden Nugget opened college football lines on the season’s most intriguing matchups. The Wolverines opened as 33-point favorites over the rebuilding Rebels.
Believe it or not, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers spent the past 3½ months trying to win football games. According to coach Lovie Smith, his team will be playing to win on the regular season’s final Sunday, too. And that could be a costly mistake, if the Buccaneers actually do win.
Almost everything about this Chicago Bears’ season has been bad news, especially for the optimists who banked on their regular-season win total going over 8½. It’s a bet that has no shot.
Much is being said about the two teams, but one quarterback is the topic of all of the talk, and it’s not Russell Wilson. Maybe that’s a positive sign for the Seattle Seahawks, and maybe Wilson will sneak up on everyone.
In an era when so many NFL coaches seem drained of personality, it’s cool to see how Pete Carroll handles the Seattle Seahawks. He has a college-type enthusiasm and an ability to think outside the box.
Crimson Tide QB A.J. McCarron and his model sidekick, Katherine Webb, have split. Sources confirmed it in a New York Daily News story. I’m not into celebrity relationship gossip, but this is an interesting development and maybe a handicapping angle.
