Riding Patriots on money line is losing wager - N.Eng loses outright as hefty favorite

[clevfan]

Sep. 22, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Riding Patriots on money line is losing wager

New England loses outright as hefty favorite

By MATT YOUMANS
REVIEW-JOURNAL

With the New England Patriots' stunning fall now a certainty without Tom Brady at quarterback, the NFL's hierarchy is being redefined.

The Dallas Cowboys, behind Tony Romo and an explosive offense, are taking over at the top as the team oddsmakers respect the most.

But it was the Patriots who made the biggest mark Sunday, and they did it by getting embarrassed by one of the league's worst teams.

There were three double-digit favorites in Week 3 -- Buffalo, New England and the New York Giants -- and none covered the spread. The Pats were the only one to lose outright, falling 38-13 to the disrespected Miami Dolphins.

"We were kind of worried about this week's games," Las Vegas Hilton sports book director Jay Kornegay said. "The schedule was basically a recipe for disaster because all the home teams were favored except for Dallas.

"Most people, obviously, were going to bet the favorites. We were definitely going to need some underdogs to not only cover but also win some games."

The Dolphins, who were 1-17 the past two seasons, ended the Patriots' league-record 21-game winning streak in the regular season.

"The big upset was New England going down, and that really helped us," Kornegay said. "There was a large amount of money-line bets on the Patriots."

Miami, which was outscored 51-24 in its first two losses, dominated as Ronnie Brown rushed for four touchdowns and passed for one.

Favorites went 12-3 straight up and 9-6 against the spread Sunday.

Chicago and Indianapolis were the other favorites to lose outright. The Bears, 3-point favorites, fell to Tampa Bay 27-24 in overtime. The Colts, 5-point favorites, lost to Jacksonville 23-21 on a field goal with four seconds to play.

Buffalo closed as a 10-point favorite in a 24-23 victory over Oakland, and the Giants were 13-point favorites in a 26-23 overtime victory over Cincinnati.

Kornegay said his book split its four major decisions Sunday. The public backed Atlanta and San Francisco, two small favorites that won big. The books needed Minnesota and Tampa Bay. The Vikings were 3-point favorites in a 20-10 victory over Carolina.

New England's loss blew up enough money-line parlays, Kornegay said, to help make the day a winner for the books.

"I'm not saying it was a great day. But this was the first week that went our way," Kornegay said. "The first two weeks of the NFL went in the bettors' favor."

Denver improved to 3-0 with a 34-32 victory over New Orleans. Drew Brees passed for 421 yards and one touchdown to help the Saints cover as 51/2-point underdogs. The game flew over the total of 51.

The Cowboys, the only road favorite of the week, covered a 3-point spread by beating Green Bay, 27-16. Romo passed for 260 yards and a touchdown and Marion Barber rushed for 142 yards and a touchdown.

San Diego, 0-2 and desperate, is an 81/2-point favorite over Brett Favre and the New York Jets tonight. The total is 44.

[howid]

Riding Patriots on money line is losing wager

no matter how you spin it betting against the super bowl loser will make you money year in and year out.

[clevfan]

Chalk it up as bad day for Patriots

By Chris Letourneau / The Bet Box | Monday, September 22, 2008
Boston Herald

Pardon the pat on the back, but for the second straight week, Patriots backers who took the advice found here made out just fine.

Yes, the Pats were complete duds as 12 ½ -point favorites and took it on the chin in a 38-13 loss to the cupcake Miami Dolphins. But you were warned last week to play small, if at all, because this was going to be one of the few games in which the Pats faced a big pile of chalk.

You can thank me later.

Matt Cassel was beat up all afternoon, the defense couldn’t stop Ronnie Brown, and local backers fell to 1-2 on the season. Over bettors were the only ones smiling, as the teams passed the 36-point mark in the third quarter. The over now is 1-2 in Pats games.

By the way, when a tailback lines up at quarterback and takes a direct snap, isn’t that a pretty solid indication he’s going to run? Just asking.

And when it happens two, three, four times, should there be some sort of learning curve by the defense? Just wondering.

Anyway, the Pats now get a bye week, and hopefully the 49ers play the Saints tough on the road next week. If that happens, San Francisco could be 3-1 when your team pays a visit in Week 5.

Look for the Pats to be underdogs like they were against the Jets, and if that happens, it’s time to load up and bring in the cash.

But I can’t possibly be right three weeks in a row, can I?

[howid]

Anyway, the Pats now get a bye week

big chalk goes down su before a bye... may as well write off the season, if pats are fortunate enough to squeak into the playoffs with their soft schedule they'll be one and gone.

[Bobby C]

Originally Posted by howid

big chalk goes down su before a bye... may as well write off the season, if pats are fortunate enough to squeak into the playoffs with their soft schedule they'll be one and gone.

Don't read too much into a loss to the Dolphins. The Dolphins ALWAYS give us fits. A couple years ago, they shut out New England 21-0. After the game, they boasted that they knew the Pats' signals, and new every play that was coming.

I watched this week's game (or at least, the first three quarters), and it was clear they had the Pats figured out again. Every time we blitzed, they had a screen pass or a sweep or SOME play designed to counter a blitz.

Just the fact that they can't beat anyone else, tells me that they're cheating against New England.