Jaguars' Taylor out for Week 16

Football Betting Lines

12/23/2006 - Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jacksonville Jaguars running back Fred Taylor is expected to miss Week 16's game against the New England Patriots because of a hamstring injury.

Taylor started the week listed as questionable and was then downgraded to out on Friday.

Taylor leads the 8-6 Jags in rushing with 1,120 yards and has five touchdowns on the season.

Wnorthernlight Football Betting News

<< Preds' Nichol gets nine-game suspension
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Nashville Predators forward Scott Nichol has been suspended for nine games, without pay, for his blind-side punch to the head of Buffalo Sabres defenseman Jaroslav Spacek during Thursday night's 7-2 setback

<< 49ers' Bryant suspended four games
Santa Clara, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Antonio Bryant has been suspended four games for violating the NFL Substance Abuse Policy. Bryant was arrested last month for suspicion of drunk driving, among ot

<< Air Force tabs Calhoun to replace DeBerry
Colorado Springs, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Air Force Academy hired Troy Calhoun as its new head football coach a little more than a week after Fisher DeBerry retired. Calhoun, who is finishing his first season as the Houston Texans offen

<< Feyenoord looking to continue push up Dutch ladder
Rotterdam, Holland (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Feyenoord are traditionally looked at as one of the big three in Holland, along with PSV and Ajax. This season, Erwin Koeman's club have endured plenty of ups and downs on their way to a fifth-p

<< Nuggets' Camby sidelined with broken finger
Denver, CO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Denver Nuggets will be without center Marcus Camby, who suffered a broken right finger during a game against the Washington Wizards. Camby will miss Denver's game with the Sacramento Kings on

Jets Need Win in Miami to Aid Playoff Hopes >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Prior to the start of the 2006 NFL season, it was easy to look at a Christmas night matchup between the Jets and Dolphins in Miami and expect one team to be looking to advance its playoff position, while the other played the

Panthers' Delhomme doubtful >>
Charlotte, NC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme was downgraded to doubtful on Friday's injury report due to the same injured thumb that has forced him to miss the past two games. Chris Weinke is likely to ag

Cadillac downgraded to doubtful >>
Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Tampa Bay running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams was downgraded to doubtful on Friday because of a foot injury, making it unlikely the Buccaneers starting back will play Sunday at Cleveland. Williams h

Saints' Horn downgraded to doubtful >>
New Orleans, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New Orleans Saints wide receiver Joe Horn was downgraded from questionable to doubtful for Sunday's game against the New York Giants. Horn, who has been battling a groin injury since Week 9, has been

Boston signs RHP Hernandez to minor league deal >>
Boston, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Boston Red Sox signed pitcher Runelvys Hernandez to a minor league contract Friday. Hernandez will join Triple-A Pawtucket of the International League, but he was also invited to Boston's major leag

FOOTBALL BETTING

Sportsbook Betting

After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.

Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.

Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.

So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.

In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.

For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.

The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.

The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.

NFL Betting Lines

To visit this sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your college football betting needs.

El Duque expected to throw Tuesday

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.

Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.

El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.

MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds. 

Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.

New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.

Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''

Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.