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11/16/2008 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jay Cutler's nine-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Graham in the latter half of the fourth quarter lifted the Denver Broncos to a 24-20 come-from-behind win over the Atlanta Falcons.
Cutler completed 19-of-27 passes for 216 yards for the Broncos (6-4), who have won two straight after dropping three games in a row. Brandon Marshall made six grabs for 89 yards, while rookie Peyton Hillis added two rushing scores.
Matt Ryan connected on 20-of-33 pass attempts for 250 yards with one interception for Atlanta (6-4), which had a two-game winning streak snapped and trails the front-running Panthers by two games in the NFC South. The Falcons host Carolina next Sunday.
Michael Turner rushed for 81 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries for the Falcons, who suffered their first blemish at home in five games.
Roddy White led all receivers with 102 yards on five receptions, but couldn't haul in a potential game-winning touchdown in the late stages of the contest.
A 28-yard sprint by Turner capped an eight-play, 77-yard drive and put Atlanta up 20-17 with 10:41 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Denver, though, quickly recaptured the lead on its next possession. On 3rd- and-7 at his own 20, Cutler hit Marshall for a 47-yard gain. The Broncos marched to the Falcons' nine, where, on 3rd-and-goal, Cutler threw a strike to Graham in the back of the end zone, giving Denver a 24-20 lead with 5:35 to play.
The Falcons nearly made a dramatic comeback of their own. On 3rd-and-18 at the Denver 45, Ryan aired it out to White, but the receiver bobbled the ball in the end zone. Ryan then threw incomplete to Michael Jenkins on fourth down and Denver escaped with the win.
Following a three-and-out by Atlanta, the Broncos began their first drive of the contest at their own 45. Faced with a 3rd-and-9, Cutler delivered a 12- yard strike to Brandon Stokley. The third-year pro continued to carve Atlanta's defense, completing three more passes to place the ball at the Falcons 21. After a false start penalty and incompletion forced a 3rd-and-6, Cutler hit Stokley for 10 yards, setting up Hillis, who pounded it up the gut from seven yards away two plays later for his first career rushing touchdown.
A former third-round pick (70th overall) by Denver in the 1993 draft, Jason Elam booted a 46-yard field with 2:26 remaining in the opening quarter. The veteran kicker and three-time Pro Bowler spent 15 seasons with the Broncos before signing with Atlanta last March.
Elam's 36-yarder pulled the Falcons within one early in the second quarter.
Denver then failed to cash in on a terrific return by Eddie Royal on the ensuing kickoff. The rookie out of Virginia Tech amassed 58 yards before he was tackled at the Atlanta 38. However, the Broncos couldn't get a first down and Matt Prater's 49-yard field goal attempt sailed wide left.
The Falcons got the ball back at their own 39 and needed just seven plays to grab the lead. Turner was stopped for no gain on 3rd-and-1 and Ryan applied a hard count to draw the defense offsides on fourth down. Atlanta mustered only one yard over the next two plays, but the rookie signal-caller hooked up with White for a big third-down conversion.
While under duress, Ryan rolled to his right and lofted a wobbly pass to White for 37 yards. Turner ran through a gaping hole on the left side for a nine- yard score on the subsequent play, and the Falcons went into halftime up 13-7.
Denver orchestrated an 11-play, 77-yard drive to open the second half, and Hillis' two-yard TD run gave the Broncos a one-point lead five minutes into the third quarter.
Ryan, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2008 draft, was intercepted by Dre Bly on the next series. Denver eventually settled for three points off the leg of Prater -- a 20-yard field goal on the first play of the fourth quarter -- after failing three times to punch it in from inside the five-yard line.
Game Notes
Denver is 3-2 on the road...The Broncos return home next Sunday to face Oakland...Denver has won six of the last seven meetings against Atlanta...Hillis rushed for 44 yards and caught three passes for 26 yards...Denver rookie Spencer Larsen became the first player in club history to start on offense and defense. He lined up at fullback, linebacker and also contributed on special teams.
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The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
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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."
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.
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