McNabb’s injury having big impact on spread, total

It was an eventful first week in the NFL, with dramatic finishes, big 'dogs taking powerhouse teams to the wire and, of course, injuries that will have an immediate impact on the wagering board.

At the top of the walking wounded list is Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb and his battered rib cage. While waiting for Michael Vick's return, we will see Kevin Kolb run the Eagles' offensive show, with newly acquired Jeff Garcia possibly making more than a cameo appearance.

Ken White of Las Vegas Sports Consultants notes with a healthy McNabb in the lineup, Philadelphia would be in the neighborhood of a 6-point favorite over visiting New Orleans today. But the game is listed mostly at pick around town.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees lit up the Detroit Lions for six touchdown passes in the opener.

"Public perception enters into the number as well," White said. "Brees was all-world last week, but that was against Detroit. Against an Eagles defense that is flying to the ball, it won't be the walk in the park it was for him last week."

The Saints-Eagles total is 46, shaded down due to McNabb's likely absence. Don't hurt yourself racing to the window to bet the under.

"The first thought is that the Eagles' offense will struggle and, combined with their aggressive defense, the under is the play. But backup quarterbacks are just as likely to make some mistakes born out of rust that could shorten the field and produce high scores," LVSC odds director Tony Sinisi said.

The San Diego Chargers escaped the "Black Hole" in Oakland with a dramatic victory Monday, but they were bruised in the process. The physical Baltimore Ravens are next up and could exact an even greater physical toll on the Chargers, who are 3-point home favorites.

"San Diego is really beat up, especially in the trenches on both sides of the ball. There really isn't a finite number that can be placed on this type of situation, but it bears watching," Sinisi said. "In addition to the wounded linemen the Chargers may be throwing out on the field, we're also aware that they've had a short work week to recover from the Raiders' pounding and what may lie in store for them in this game."

The oddsmakers' mantra is to not overreact to what was most recently witnessed.

But one team that has been downgraded in Las Vegas is the Carolina Panthers. Jake Delhomme treated the football like a hand grenade against Philadelphia, re-opening his wounds incurred in the playoffs last year.

Lines for the entire NFL season are posted at several properties. At the M Resort sports book, the Panthers have been shaded down for future games.

Knowing full well the handle on those future games is miniscule in the grand scheme of things, it still merits attention. When the Week 2 lines closed before the Week 1 games, Carolina was a 3-point underdog for its visit to Atlanta today. Now, the Panthers are 6-point 'dogs.

"We can't go crazy against the Panthers based on one poor performance against an excellent team," Las Vegas Hilton sports book director Jay Kornegay said. "We've made subtle adjustments, but aren't to the point where we think the Panthers have turned into the Raiders overnight."

Last year, Falcons running back Michael Turner shredded the Panthers for four TDs at the Georgia Dome. As if that's not a big enough concern, Carolina coach John Fox can only hope his veteran quarterback can shake the calamitous thoughts that are surely swirling in his head.

Two other games feature four of the public's favorite teams in relation to the wagering lines.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are favored by 21/2 to 3 points as they visit Chicago, and the New York Giants travel to Dallas in an NFC East showdown. The Cowboys are 3-point favorites.

Golden Nugget sports book director Tony Miller said Bears fans have reason to worry about their prospects this season.

"Losing linebacker Brian Urlacher is a big blow to the defense, which is their strength. I'm not sold on Jay Cutler to begin with, and his wide receiving corps is extremely weak," Miller said.

As for the Giants-Cowboys game, Miller said New York's defense is garnering plenty of hype, but it could be a high-scoring affair. The total is 45.

"I disagree with those saying these two teams are hurting at the wide receiver position," Miller said. "Both Eli Manning and Tony Romo have big, fast targets that can produce big plays."

These high-profile matchups will attract a big handle and a lot of parlay-card play. For the most part, with both games surrounding the key number of 3, there has been excellent two-way action all week.

Brian Blessing, project manager for Las Vegas Sports Consultants, can be reached at bblessing@lvsc.com. Hear the LVSC oddsmakers on Sportsbook Radio, weekdays at 3 p.m. on ESPN Radio (1100 AM) and Sirius 98.