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08/31/2010 - Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have released running back Derrick Ward, who spent just one unsuccessful season with the club after signing as a free agent in the spring of 2009.
Ward had a breakout 2008 campaign with the New York Giants, rushing for 1,025 yards and two touchdowns while averaging 5.6 yards per attempt. He then signed a four-year deal with the Bucs, but managed just 409 yards and one score in 14 games last season.
"No decision is made lightly around here," said Bucs head coach Raheem Morris. "It was just time to make it today."
Morris mentioned the club's backfield of Cadillac Williams, Earnest Graham and Kareem Huggins as reasons for Ward's release.
"We've got Cadillac, who we're all happy to have, and we also have Insurance Graham for us back there," Morris added. "He's able to carry the ball for us as well. And also we have our little spark plug in Huggy, and he's able to come in and provide a different look for us. We look forward to watching those guys run the rest of the preseason."
The Buccaneers also released wide receiver Terrence Nunn and placed linebacker Jon Alston on injured reserve to reach the roster limit of 75. The team will make its final cuts on Saturday.
<< Stoke re-signs Diao to two-year deal
Stoke-on-Trent, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Stoke City re-signed midfielder
Salif Diao on Tuesday, two months after the Senegal international's previous
contract expired.
Diao, 33, rejected Stoke's initial offer earlier this summer, bu
<< PGA Tour suspends rule that led to Furyk DQ
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The PGA Tour has suspended the rule
that led to Jim Furyk's disqualification from The Barclays last week.
Furyk was kept from the first playoffs event in New Jersey because he
overslept Wed
<< Bent joins Wolverhampton on loan
Wolverhampton, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wolverhampton signed striker Marcus
Bent from Birmingham on Tuesday on a four-month loan deal.
Bent, 32, spent parts of last season on loan at Middlesbrough and Queens Park
Rangers. Wolverhampton a
<< What's eating the slumping Cardinals?
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tony La Russa hasn't managed many poor teams during his
tenure with the St. Louis Cardinals.
In fact, the Cardinals have missed the playoffs only six times since La Russa
took over the ballclub back in 1996, a pretty solid
Jankovic advances in New York >>
Flushing Meadows, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former world No. 1 Jelena Jankovic
was among Tuesday's opening-round winners at the 2010 U.S. Open.
The fourth-seeded Jankovic went the distance to sneak past Romanian Simona
Halep 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 at
Calgary's Rambo highlights CFL weekly awards >>
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Calgary Stampeders wide receiver Ken-Yon Rambo,
Saskatchewan Roughriders safety James Patrick, Edmonton Eskimos kicker Noel
Prefontaine and Calgary running back Jon Cornish were selected as the CFL's
top per
AC Milan acquires Robinho from City >>
Milan, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - AC Milan acquired Brazilian striker Robinho on
Tuesday from Manchester City for an undisclosed fee, just two years after City
signed him for a British record transfer fee of $50 million from Real Madrid.
Robin
CFL Western Division: Eskimos finally play some defense >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Week nine of the CFL season belonged to
Alberta, as both Calgary and Edmonton found the win column. Calgary's victory
was expected, but the Eskimos' three-point win over the Saskatchewan
Roughriders was, quite
BILLS (+10) at Steelers SPORTSBOOK LINES
It's impossible to gauge how a team will react after something like the Steve Everett situation, and it probably doesn't matter. That being said, the Bills are going to lose several games this year where they keep things close but fall short in the end to superior teams. Ben Roethlisberger and company could have a field day against Buffalo's decimated defense, but I like the Bills to cover.
BENGALS (-7) at Browns SPORTSBOOK LINES
All you can ask out of your NFL team is that it has a plan. You may not always agree with it as a fan, but as long as it appears the organization is going in some sort of direction, you have to go with it. Which brings us to the Cleveland Browns. You flip a coin to determine whether Chuck Frye or Derek Anderson should start the preseason opener. You start Frye in Week 1, but pull him in the first half. And then you deal him to the Seahawks for a sixth-round pick? Hmm... the Bengals could get six turnovers again this week.
COLTS (-7) at Titans SPORTSBOOK LINES
Tennessee signed ex-Colts cornerback Nick Harper in the offseason so that should help slow down Peyton Manning. Just ask Jason David and the Saints. Oh wait... One of these weeks, I'm going to learn to not pick against Tennessee, which has won seven of its last eight games. But it's not happening against Indy.
TEXANS (+6.5) at Panthers SPORTSBOOK LINES
Houston's Mario Williams, the first pick in the '06 draft, has more touchdowns than Reggie Bush after one week. Somehow I don't see that lasting. Meanwhile, Carolina bottled up what was expected to be a pretty high-octane offense in St. Louis in Week 1. Could this be the Panthers' defense everyone expected last year? Maybe. This feels like a 20-16 Carolina win.
RAMS (-3) vs. 49ers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Absolutely love this game. Everyone's favorite pick for this year's surprise team -- the 49ers -- laid an egg on Monday night (not that anyone was watching with the game ending in the middle of the night for those of us on the East Coast). St. Louis wasn't much better, delivering a lackluster effort against the Panthers that included two Steven Jackson fumbles and panic from his fantasy owners. Jackson rebounds this week, and the Rams get their first win.
PACKERS (+1.5) at Giants SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Do you really trust this guy to win an NFL game if Eli Manning can't go? I say no. I'd feel alot better about this Packers team if it had any semblance of a running game, but I still think Green Bay's defense is good enough to give it a 2-0 start.
JAGUARS (-10) vs. Falcons SPORTSBOOKS LINES
Does it scare me to pick Jacksonville to cover a double-digit spread after it scored just 10 points last week against the Titans? Absolutely. But can I bring myself to pick Atlanta under any circumstances? No. Check out this poll on ajc.com. It asks what Atlanta's most urgent deficiency is: offense, defense, specials teams or all of the above. "All of the above" has 57 percent of the votes. Ouch.
SAINTS (-3) at Buccaneers SPORTSBOOKS LINES
I'm picking way too many road teams this week. Oh well. New Orleans has had some time to reflect on its lackluster showing in the opener, and the Buccanneers just aren't a very good football team. Anyone else surprised Tampa Bay hasn't made a move to sign Byron Leftwich? I thought that's what they do.
VIKINGS (+3) at Lions SPORTS BETTING LINES
Run the ball and stop the run. Minnesota can do both, and that will keep them in a lot of games this season. Even though it was only one week, Adrian Peterson looks like he was a steal at No. 7 in last year's draft. Not only will he produce, but Peterson delivers excitement to what otherwise would be one of the league's most boring teams.
DOLPHINS (+3.5) vs. Cowboys SPORTS BETTING LINES
Lost in the Tony Romo lovefest is just how bad the Cowboys' defense was last week. I know they're banged up, but Dallas' 'D' allowed 438 yards to the Giants' offense, and backup running back Derrick Ward averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Cam Cameron's decision to split carries between Ronnie Brown and Jesse Chatman sounds about as can't-miss as Larry David's plan to show up to Marty Funkhouser's party a night late. Still, gotta go with Miami to cover at home.
SEAHAWKS (-2.5) at Cardinals SPORTS BETTING LINES
I'm probably missing something, but this game seems too easy. Arizona blew Monday night's game against the 49ers in typical Cardinals fashion, and the Seahawks beat Tampa Bay by two touchdowns. Love Seattle in this one.
BRONCOS (-9.5) vs. Raiders SPORTS BETTING LINES
Special teams was a major story line in Week 1. Take a look at the Broncos. They had to rush on to the field to get a Jason Elam field goal as time expired against the Bills. Denver drove into Buffalo territory on eight of 10 drives but came away with just a pair of field goals and a touchdown. Look for more scoring from the Broncos this week against an Oakland defense that gave up 36 points to Detroit in Week 1.
BEARS (-12) vs. Chiefs SPORTS BETTING LINES
Everyone talks about Rex Grossman when dissecting the Bears' offense, but Chicago's quarterback got no help in last week's loss to the Chargers. Meanwhile, Kansas City confirmed what we all thought while watching Hard Knocks: The Chiefs are going to stink this year. It could be a rough first month for Larry Johnson fantasy owners. Kansas City's RB was limited to 43 yards on 10 carries in Week 1, and the Chiefs face the Bears, Vikings and Chargers the next three weeks, all formidable run defenses.
RAVENS (-10) vs. Jets SPORTS BETTING LINES
A big dose of Willis McGahee and a usual sound defensive effort will give the Ravens their first win. According to Football Outsiders, no team in the NFL rushed only three defenders on pass plays last year more than the Jets. And according to my special Jets correspondent Ben Stauber, New York did the same in Week 1. Whoever starts at quarterback for the Ravens should have all day to throw.
PATRIOTS (-3) vs. Chargers
Friends and I were discussing how Bill Belichick goes about paying his $500,000 fine for cheating. Does he just write one check to the NFL? Do you need some sort of clearance to make such a monstrous financial transaction? I guess I shouldn't complain about the security deposit I have to put down on my new apartment. Anyway, two of the league's best teams square off in what should be a good one Sunday night. The Patriots always respond well just when you think they're in trouble. And their offensive attack was the story in Week 1.
Note: Monday night game will be picked Monday. Lines used are from football betting.
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