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The NFL preseason continues on Thursday night when the Carolina Panthers travel to Maryland to take on the Baltimore Ravens.
The Top 10 Sportsbooks, like Bet Mania, have set the opening line in this game, and the Baltimore Ravens started out as a 3.5 point favorite with an over-under of 33.5.
The NFL bettors came in with early action on the underdog Carolina Panthers, and the line dropped to Baltimore as three-point favorites.
To get the latest odds on the game check out Bet Mania. Sign up and use the NFL preseason code REGAW and get a $50 free bet on this game!
The Ravens go into this game with a slew of players suffering from injuries. Offensive tackle Jared Gaither and cornerbacks Fabian Washington and Chris Carr could be held out of Thursday night’s preseason game. Free safety Ed Reed will be unable to play as he is on the team’s PUP list. The Ravens will also be without rookie linebacker Sergio Kindle, who fractured his skull a few weeks ago. Even without those players the Ravens should be fine on Thursday night.
Baltimore Ravens
They are very deep on both sides of the ball, especially on offense. The Ravens’ probable preseason quarterback rotation will be: Joe Flacco, Marc Bulger, Troy Smith, and John Beck.
The Ravens have tremendous depth at other skill positions like wide receiver and running back.
At wide receiver the starters are Mark Clayton and Anquan Boldin, and they are backed up by veterans Donte Stallworth and Derrick Mason.
At running back they have Ray Rice and Willis McGahee to start things off and big bruising fullback Le’Ron McClain to play as fullback. Third-year man Jalen Parmele will get playing time as well.
Carolina Panthers
The Panthers enter this season in a semi-rebuilding mode, as they sent veterans packing in the offseason. Quarterback Jake Delhomme now plays for the Browns, and defensive end Julius Peppers now sacks opposing quarterbacks in Chicago.
The Panthers’ probable preseason quarterback rotation is Matt Moore, Jimmy Clausen (rookie—Notre Dame), Hunter Cantwell and Tony Pike (rookie—Cincinnati). This is an impressive lineup, although it does not have much experience. Expect Moore and Clausen to handle the quarterback duties in the first half.
At running back the Panthers have talent in DeAngelo Williams and Jonathan Stewart, but they won’t see much playing time, and Stewart may not play at all. Expect a lot of Tyrell Sutton, Dantrell Savage, and Josh Vaughan out of the backfield.
At wide receiver Steve Smith is still out nursing an injury, and the Panthers are razor-thin in this spot.
Game-Time Winning Pick
John Fox focuses more on execution than winning in the preseason, evidenced by a 3-10 record against the spread. The Ravens are very deep and experienced on offense, and that will be the difference in this game. Bulger is fighting for the No. 2 spot and will have veteran wide receivers playing alongside him. The deep offense will be too much for a young Panthers team.
The NFL is back! Although it’s just preseason, it’s great to watch football again!
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Other Preseason Previews and Picks
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Birmingham, Alabama—In a not-so-stunning development in the Reggie Bush/USC case, the NCAA, BCS, and the SEC have decided to vacate the Trojans 2004 BCS National Championship.
Sources close to the situation say that the ’04 Auburn Tigers could be on the verge of winning their first consensus national championship since 1957.
The move is rumored to be just the beginning of a new method for punishing college football’s evildoers by awarding their ill-gotten championships to SEC schools.
Big Ten conspiracy theorists have long held the belief that the $15 Billion ESPN/SEC network deal that began in ’09 was just an elaborate cover-up to help fund a super-secret time travel initiative that was developed by SEC commissioner Mike Slive.
According to sources within the underground Big Ten conspiracy group, JoePa is God; SEC Commissioner Mike Slive plans to begin the process of awarding every vacated national title in the NCAA’s history to an SEC school.
The plan is rumored to be for Slive to strap-in to a specially designed 1989 Ford Tempo, the vehicle of choice in many southern cities, which would enable him to cross through the space/time continuum via a BCS-designed computer that serves as the Tempo-Time-Machine’s central processing unit.
The first stop is December ’04, where Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, still resides pleading the case for his team to play in the BCS title game, to anyone who will listen. Slive plans to stop by the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, where Auburn has just defeated Tennessee in the SEC Championship Game, just to let Tuberville know that he has everything under control.
Slive doesn’t like for his coaches to complain.
The commissioner then plans to travel to Los Angeles, on the evening of July 6, 2004, two months prior to the start of the college football season, where a sports agent has just given Reggie Bush the keys to a 1996 Chevy Lumina.
Sensing pictures of that transaction alone are not enough to convince the NCAA that something fishy is going on at USC; Slive will then travel to Malibu, on the morning of February 10, 2003 where Bush’s parents are moving into a sweet condo, directly on the beach. Realizing that an ‘89 Ford Tempo would be out of place in the area, Slive will park at a nearby Wal-Mart and walk the two miles to the lavish neighborhood.
The alleged plan then calls for Slive to arrive at NCAA headquarters on the evening before USC is set to begin fall practice, with the various pictures and receipts in hand.
Reggie Bush will be ruled ineligible for the season, paving the way for Auburn to win the national title and Auburn QB Jason Campbell to win the Heisman trophy.
While it is strictly rumor at this point, some believe that Slive will actually try to pin the entire thing on USC assistant, Lane Kiffin rather than the rogue agent.
A high-ranking SEC official speaking on condition of anonymity said, “Awarding Auburn the ’04 national title and getting rid of that little prick, Kiffin, before he has a chance to disgrace Tennessee, would be an amazing turn of events for our conference.”
The official continued, “But there’s just no logic behind developing a super-secret-time-travel-machine to crown every SEC member in our history with multiple national titles.”
When pressed further the official admitted, “It would be nice to hear the Sewanee fans chanting ‘SEC, SEC, SEC’ as time winds down in their 12-0 win over Notre Dame in the 1935 Orange Bowl. But time-travel is just something that we’d rather leave alone, for now.”
When asked what the ruling could mean for the vacated ’92 National Championship that Alabama won, the official quickly chuckled, “Alabama has always been an upstanding member of the SEC football community. In the days and weeks ahead, you could very well see that nearly 20 year old ruling rescinded.”
The official was then whisked away by armed guards.
Commissioner Slive could not be reached for comment
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I don’t expect anything from this year’s Big Ten season.
It’s not been a bad few years, with Jan. 1 bowls in every single year since 2005 and two Big Ten titles, as well as road wins at Ohio State and more importantly, wins at the hated Michigan.
But this year, I don’t expect too much from Penn State. Why?
The Offensive Line
I would love our offensive line to “be something,” but let’s be honest, it was pretty horrific last year against better sides. Senior offensive guard Stefen Wisniewski is considered one of the Nittany Lions’ best players, and Quinn Barham, DeOnt’ae Pannell, Lou Eliades, and center Doug Klopacz are all veteran players who will be the players to get the plaudits if our quarterback—God only knows who that is—has a good season. Things weren’t wonderful at the Blue/White Game for the offensive line, but only time will tell.
Let’s hope that they will be as great as their experience (all of them are juniors or seniors)!
The Quarterback Situation
King Clark is dead, long live the King. Sophomore Kevin Newsome is seen by some as capable of taking the Nittany Lions to good things in 2010; by others, as a poor man’s Terrelle Pryor. We at the VFA were excited when PSU recruited him, but an underwhelming showing in his first year—even as a bit-part player—didn’t fill us with joy.
“John” Paul Jones or Matt “Pat” McGloin will be waiting in the wings. Jones has a cannon for an arm while McGloin had a good B/W game. Don’t be too surprised if Joe Paterno throws out THREE quarterbacks in the Youngstown State Game.
The Road Schedule (1)
If there’s any game that doesn’t exactly install confidence, it’ll be the road game at the reigning National Champions, Alabama. We’ll be playing against Heisman winner Mark Ingram, a solid quarterback in Greg McIlroy, and a speedster wide receiver in Julio Jones. We can only be glad that Javier Arenas has gone to the NFL, or we’d have problems on special teams, too. Oh, and although the Crimson Tide’s defense has mostly gone to support their families in the professional leagues, Saban could toast the offensive line.
We’d also like to remind you about 2006, the time we played a highly-ranked team early on in the season with an inexperienced quarterback. Against Notre Dame. We were whaled on 41-17 after a strong showing in the first quarter. That’s not a great omen, people.
The Road Schedule (2)
Then there’s that little trip to Iowa. Last time we played at Kinnick, it was freezing cold, the coaching staff forgot the handwarmers, Shonn Greene had a field day, and Daniel Murray hit the winning field goal to trainwreck PSU’s unbeaten season. Last time we played Iowa (2009), we had a big, fun whiteout which was great—apart from the game itself, when Iowa showed PSU a little bit about offensive football.
Iowa bring back running back sensations Jewel Hampton and Adam Robinson. Ricky Stanzi’s now a proven winner, and can only get better. Derrell Johnson-Koulanios, Iowa’s “main man” is back for another year at wide receiver. Oh, and Kinnick’s going to be loud, very loud.
The Road Schedule (3)
As if things couldn’t get any worse, there’s that small trip to The Horseshoe to play Ohio State. The atmosphere in THAT place will make Kinnick look like a tea party. Terrelle Pryor’s already being twinned with the word “Heisman,” Brandon Saine and Dan Herron will run you up the gut all night long, and Posey and Sanzenbacher will cause the secondary problems. Oh, and then there’s Pryor’s legs, too. Be afraid, be very freaking afraid.
The Defensive Losses
Tom Bradley is the God of defensive coaching—there’s no one better at the job (sorry, Saban and Bo Pellini!). We, for one, are grateful for his loyalty to the Penn State cause. But he’ll miss Navarro Bowman, Jared “The Giant” Odrick, Sean Lee, and Josh Hull. Who wouldn’t? Although the defense is going to be good—it’s rarely poor—it’s going to take a while for them to gel.
But, Let’s Be Positive
I feel the need…
…the need for speed! And that, my friends, is what Penn State has in abundance. Alabama fans who are a little worried about the big game tell us that the Tide’s secondary isn’t going to be strong this year, and (if he plays both ways) Chaz Powell, Curtis Drake, and Stephfon Green will cause problems for defenses in Tuscaloosa—and all over the division. Plus, Kevin Newsome isn’t slow out of the pocket, which will make him dangerous in short situations. The next Michael Robinson? Possibly…
THAT Defense
There’s a reason why people aren’t talking down PSU’s defensive losses—and it’s probably because they all have bills saying, “In Bradley We Trust.” I certainly do. DE Jack Crawford’s going to be a NFL star in the future, and Michael Mauti’s yet another very talented linebacker to play in blue and white. Chaz Powell’s decision, or his coaches’ decision, to play in the secondary will be a positive in the second half of the year (he probably needs a few games to warm up before he becomes the next Chris Gamble!), and Nick Sukay and Drew Astorino aren’t terrible, either.
The HOME schedule
Penn State’s home schedule is one that most people would bite their hand off for. Sure, you’re not exactly loving it if you’re a season ticket holder, but it’s a pretty good home schedule for Lions fans. We can’t wait for the Student White Out against Michigan—particularly if the team wins one at Alabama or Iowa on the road.
Evan Royster/Stephfon Green
Once again, Penn State is DEEP at running back. Royster will probably break the record for most-ever yardage by a PSU running back, and Green’s absolute lightning if you give him a few yards—he also averaged 13.3 yards receiving (80 yards in six receptions).
Joe Paterno WILL get to 400
Unless this season is absolutely horrific, Joe Paterno will pick up win No.400 this year. He’ll be prepared for Alabama—in the same way that he was prepared for the speed of Florida State in the Orange Bowl in Miami in THAT National Championship Game, and LSU and Tennessee in recent bowl games.
The question is: Will the team show up on the day?
My prediction this year: 9-3, with the losses coming at Alabama, Ohio State and Iowa.
Go on guys, prove me wrong.
This is the last time people said Penn State would amount to nothing:
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The 2010 NFL football season is upon us. With that, many teams hold high hopes for a shot at the playoffs, and some, the Superbowl.
Some teams are looking to just place themselves back on the NFL map. One of those teams is the 2010 Kansas City Chiefs.
After a ruckus 2009 season in Kansas City, the Chiefs came into the 2010 offseason fully prepared to do whatever they needed to do to turn this franchise around.
First thing is first, Scott Pioli and his New England connections decided to put the band back together (minus Bill Belichick). The Chiefs hired former Notre Dame head coach and Patriots offensive coordinator Charlie Weis to help run the offense, and to develop Matt Cassel into a solid quarterback.
Next, the Chiefs targeted former Cleveland Browns head coach and Patriots defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel to come in, and take hold of this Chiefs 3-4 and make it his own. Crennel has been a master of the 3-4 defense for the past 30 years, and looks to make his mark on a defense that ranked just 30th last year in total yards allowed.
Scott Pioli and Todd Haley made the right calls during the draft, selecting All-Pro Tennessee Defensive Back Eric Berry with the fifth overall pick. Berry should prove to be a fantastic selection for a young up-and-coming secondary and has shown up well throughout training camp thus far.
Despite the 2009 Chiefs draft class at this point being a huge failure, the Chiefs did something that nobody expected them to do in 2010. They targeted playmakers on both sides of the ball. Guys that can score from any distance, at any second.
Chiefs slot receiver/half back/offensive weapon, second round pick Dexter McCluster, has put on a show throughout training camp, getting the biggest praise from the crowd every time he touches the ball. He’s already broken three pairs of shoes in just one week of practice from his electric cuts and lightning fast jukes.
The other second round pick was Alabama Nickelback, or “star” as Alabama calls it, Javier Arenas. Arenas has drawn comparisons to Ronde Barber, a former Buccaneers cornerback that could not only cover extremely well, but blitz and disrupt an opposing quarterback at any moment.
Arenas closed out his Alabama career as the best punt returner in NCAA history.
The Chiefs only added one significant piece during free agency, and it came from a position that nobody expected. Yes, I’m talking about Thomas Jones. Jones was second in the AFC in rushing yards in 2009 and has been one of the top performers in the league since 2007.
Why would the Chiefs, who have an ultra talented running back in Jamaal Charles want to add another top notch running back to the mix? It’s simple really.
Jones, 31, has come in and taught the Chiefs offense how to work, how to compete, and how to be a leader. Jamaal Charles during the second half of 2009 was driven to the ground on a weekly basis because the Chiefs didn’t have a quality backup to come in and spell Charles when he needed it. With the addition of Jones it opens up this offense in a variety of ways.
Kansas City can now line Charles up in the slot, in the backfield with Jones, and possibly even use Charles as a kick returner where he excelled at in 2009 in limited duty. It’s the possibility of everything that made this a great addition.
Over the last eight games of the 2009 season the Chiefs improved in 25 categories from their first eight weeks. Had the Chiefs started Jamaal Charles from Week 1, we would be talking about an offense that finished in the Top 15 of the NFL in total yards. The Chiefs improved from averaging 260 total yards per game to 346 yards per game over the last eight games.
What is more, the offensive line allowed a disastrous 30 sacks through the first eight games of 2009, yet with the infusion of Jamaal Charles, teams could no longer consistently blitz Matt Cassel with the fear of a draw play, therefore the offensive line only gave up 15 sacks during the second half of the season.
With that improvement over the last six games of the season, left tackle Branden Albert stepped up his game and didn’t allow a single sack, including frustrating NFL sack champion Elvis Dumervil in the 2009 finale.
Defensively, the only major piece the Chiefs added was rookie playmaker Eric Berry. The defensive as a whole will be depending on better play from the players that were already in place and a huge morale boost from having Romeo Crennel as defensive coordinator. But not only did the offense improve as the season extended in 2009, the defense also stepped up their game.
Through the first eight games of the season, the Chiefs were only able to haul in three interceptions, a number that a college football team could have gotten. Yet over the second half of the season, players stepped up their game and brought down 12 more interceptions. Equate that to a full season and the Chiefs are ranked in the Top 5 of interceptions.
With an easy schedule, great coaches all across the board, and star talent from the young players the Chiefs should have no problem winning eight games in 2010, which would be considered a success when compared to their recent records.
Young players have shined during training camp, and the rookies will play a huge role in the success of the 2010 season—more so than any other team, most likely. Eric Berry will be asked to patrol the deep secondary, while Dexter McCluster will be in a role that gets him the ball in open space to make plays and confuse the defense.
The Kansas City Chiefs have done as much in one offseason as anyone could ask. Don’t expect playoffs from this group, but don’t be too surprised if they find a way to beat some dominant teams and capture the sixth seed playoff spot either.
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This Thursday, the Carolina Panthers go to Baltimore to take on the Ravens. The game starts at 8:00 PM (ET) on ESPN.
It has been an interesting offseason for the Carolina Panthers. They cut Jake Delhomme and made Matt Moore the starter. They lost Julius Peppers to free agency. The Panthers also drafted former Notre Dame quarterback Jimmy Clausen.
Clausen, who is currently third on the QB depth chart, can probably move up with a couple of strong performances this preseason. Baltimore isn’t a bad place to start.
The Panthers have four quarterbacks on their roster, and all of them have potential.
The Panthers haven’t named their No. 2 receiver yet. Brandon Lafell, Armanti Edwards, and Dwayne Jarrett are competing for the No. 2 spot.
Lafell and Edwards were both drafted in the third round. Lafell had 175 receptions, 2,517 receiving yards, and 25 career touchdowns at LSU.
Edwards was a quarterback at Appalachian State. He may have never played receiver in college, but he is athletic enough to play the position.
Jarrett was the Panthers second round pick in the 2007 draft. Jarrett is USC’s all time leader in receptions and is the Pac 10′s (or Pac 12′s) all time leader in touchdown receptions.
Panthers player with most to lose: Dwayne Jarrett
Jarrett has more to lose because of the expectations. He is in his third year as a pro and has basically done nothing as the No. 3 receiver. Coming out of college, Jarett was being compared to Keyshawn Johnson. So far, he has been Mike Williams.
If Jarrett can’t compete with a rookie, then don’t be surprised if his career with the Panthers is over.
I forgot to talk about the Ravens. The Ravens now have the No. 1 receiver they’ve been looking for in Anquan Boldin. With Boldin at the No. 1 spot, and Derrick Mason at the No. 2 spot, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Ravens were a top 10 offensive team.
Ravens player with most to lose: Mark Clayton
Clayton has been a very inconsistent No. 2 receiver. If he does not succeed as a No. 3 receiver, then he might be looking for another job.
Prediction: Panthers 26, Ravens 20
Player of the game: Brandon Lafell
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