Football Preseason ATS Rumblings

Monday, August 24, 2009
By Roz Juarbe

One of these days Brett Favre will have a retirement party! But will anyone show up? The Favre story continues to amaze (and amuse). Did we get a good look at the Minnesota quarterback who will lead the Vikings into the playoffs? Perhaps, yes....Tavaris Jackson! Jackson, whose job was taken when Favre ended another retirement last week, was the more polished quarterback for Minnesota: 12 for 15 for 202 yards and two touchdowns in leading them to a 17-13 win over the Chiefs. The 26-year old QB was pretty good last season, with 1,056 yards passing, 9 TDs and only 2 picks while running for 156 yards.

With Sage Rosenfels sitting out because of a sprained ankle suffered in a solid game last week at Indianapolis, Jackson played the equivalent of two full quarters. Jackson evaded a blitz on third-and-8 in the second quarter and found Visanthe Shiancoe for a 13-yard score. In the third, Jackson hit Darius Reynaud on a post pattern for a 64-yard touchdown to put Minnesota in front 14-13. It would not be shocking to see Jackson emerge as the more reliable option, especially if Favre breaks down or throws too many picks (which he has done more and more the last few years).

It's likely you will see more of Jackson in preseason: As Brett Favre builds rapport with the rest of the offense, the Vikings will try to ensure he doesn't burn out his arm unnecessarily. The Vikings need to be extra careful because the 39-year-old Favre was bothered by a biceps tendon injury in his throwing arm that derailed his 2008 season and required surgery in late May. Favre also admitted last week that he has a tear in the rotator cuff of his passing arm.

Dallas Coach Wade Phillips is just 5-5 SU/4-6 ATS with Dallas in preseason since 2007, but the team was fired up to play in its new stadium over the weekend, thrashing Tennessee. That game went over the total. It's interesting that Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys offense have worked to get in and out of the huddle faster. "We're going to try to push the envelope with our tempo," Romo said.

There were numerous times when Romo was ready to run the next play before one, two or all three wide receivers made it back to the huddle. In one practice, the first-team offense broke the huddle an average of 16 seconds after the ball was placed. It's not quite a no-huddle attack, just a little faster tempo.

Bengals QB Carson Palmer (ankle) did some light tossing Sunday, but did not practice with the team. He is questionable Thursday. In other news out of Cincinnati, receiver Chad Ochocinco won't have to kick extra points anymore. The Bengals signed rookie kicker Sam Swank from Wake Forest, giving them another option while Shayne Graham recovers from a groin injury.

What is going on in Denver? The Broncos are 0-2 SU/ATS in preseason. Jay Cutler has been shipped out of town and start WR Brandon Marshall is feuding with the Broncos. It continued Saturday night, with the disgruntled wide receiver left in Denver as the Broncos lost to the Seahawks, 27-13, in an exhibition game at Seattle.

"Everybody who was ready and able to play in this game was here. And everybody we deemed not ready and able stayed back home," Broncos first-year coach Josh McDaniels said. Wow. He is no nonsense. But at some point, you can't ship out ALL your top talent! I hope he knows what he's doing, because the Broncos do not look very good.