Eagles run over Cowboys to clinch playoff berth
Football Betting Lines
12/26/2006 - Irving, TX (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jeff Garcia completed 15-of-23 passes for 238 yards and Brian Westbrook led a clock-controlling ground game with 122 rushing yards, as the Philadelphia Eagles clinched a playoff berth and gained the NFC East lead with a 23-7 victory over the Dallas Cowboys in a Christmas Day battle at Texas Stadium.
Correll Buckhalter gained 38 yards on the ground with a touchdown for the Eagles (9-6), who can capture the division title with a win over Atlanta on Sunday in Philadelphia or a Dallas (9-6) loss at home against Detroit in Week 17. Although both the Eagles and Cowboys have identical records, the Eagles would win the crown due to a season sweep of Dallas. Lito Sheppard's 102-yard interception return for a touchdown capped a dramatic 38-24 Eagles win over Dallas in Week 5.
Dallas, which has now dropped two of its last three on the heels of a four- game win streak, clinched a playoff berth last Sunday. The Cowboys were dominated at nearly every facet and were outgained, 426-201, losing to the Eagles for the 11th time in the last 14 meetings.
Garcia has re-energized a Philadelphia offense that was left for dead when star quarterback Donovan McNabb suffered a season-ending knee injury on November 19. Garcia's first start was a 45-21 loss to Indianapolis, but he has rebounded and guided the Eagles to four straight wins, including three consecutive divisional road games.
Pro Bowl quarterback Tony Romo finished 14-of-29 passing for 142 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Cowboys. Julius Jones and Marion Barber combined for just 80 rushing yards against the 28th-ranked rushing defense entering the game. Former Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens caught two passes for 23 yards and the lone Dallas touchdown in the loss.
Due to Philadelphia's win, the New Orleans Saints clinched a first-round bye in the playoffs.
Newark, NJ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Randy Johnson's days with the New York Yankees could be numbered. According to a report in the Newark Star-Ledger, the Yankees are in discussions with the Diamondbacks to trade Johnson, a five-time
<< Wade thrives, Heat shut down Kobe
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dwyane Wade had a spectacular Christmas
afternoon, scoring 40 points, dishing out 11 assists and tying a career-high
with four blocked shots, as the Heat rolled to a 101-85 over the Los Angeles
Lakers.
<< NFL Inactives (Monday, December 25, 2006)
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The following is a list of the players
placed on the inactive squad for this week's NFL games.
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES AT DALLAS COWBOYS, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
Eagles - RB Ryan Moats, G Max Jean-Gilles, T Pat McCoy
<< UCLA remains on top of poll; Clemson and Tennessee join Top 25
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the fifth consecutive week, UCLA
remained atop the Associated Press college basketball poll.
The Bruins (11-0) crushed Michigan, 92-55, and also dismantled Sam Houston
State this past week
<< ACC represents top of women's poll as Oklahoma falls
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Maryland, North Carolina, and now Duke, hold
the top three spots in the latest Associated Press women's college basketball
poll as Oklahoma tumbled out of the third spot and all the way down to eight.
With
Miami, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Leon Washington's 64-yard jaunt on a screen pass set up Mike Nugent's winning field goal with 10 seconds remaining, as the New York Jets moved closer to the playoffs with a 13-10 win over the Miami Dolphin
Packers/Bears selected for Sunday night; wild chase for playoffs >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NFL has moved this coming Sunday night's
game between Green Bay and the Chicago Bears to 8:15 p.m. (et) as part of the
flexible scheduling system.
There were other games moved back to later in the afte
Rockets stop off in Indiana >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Houston Rockets hit the road this evening to take on
the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Houston will visit Indiana and New Jersey on its brief trip and is 8-8 as the
visitor this season. The Rockets have lost t
Grizzlies, Wizards meet at Verizon Center >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Memphis Grizzlies try and stop a three-game losing
streak tonight when they pay a visit to the Washington Wizards at the Verizon
Center.
Memphis, the NBA's worst team, suffered a 100-97 loss to the Utah Jazz on
Satur
Pistons welcome Nets to The Palace >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Central Division-leading Detroit Pistons aim for
their fifth straight win when they host the New Jersey Nets tonight at The
Palace of Auburn Hills.
Detroit, which owns a two-game lead over Chicago in the division, ha
FOOTBALL BETTING : Cassel Signs Contract
Kansas City, MO - Kansas City has not officially named Matt Cassel its starting quarterback, but there can be no doubt now.
NFL Betting
After praising his leadership and work ethic through spring workouts, the Chiefs announced Tuesday they had signed the 27-year-old Cassel to a multiyear contract. Terms were not disclosed, but he will almost certainly be one of the highest-paid members of the team.
"We are excited to be able to reach a long-term agreement for Matt Cassel to be a Kansas City Chief for many years to come," owner and board chairman Clark Hunt said in a statement. "His proven leadership on and off the field will be a tremendous asset to the organization."
Patriots made him their franchise player, meaning his salary for this season will be about $15 million.
New head coach Todd Haley, taking over for Herm Edwards after a 2-14 season, refused to name a starter at any position during offseason workouts. But it was obvious to everyone the team belonged to Cassel.
"I go out there each and every day with that focus that I'm the starter," Cassel said during a June minicamp. "Competition brings out the best in everybody."
The signing will come as welcome news to Cassel's new coaches and teammates. Amiable and hardworking, online football betting he appeared to win over everyone at minicamp.
"I think he's got some unique leadership qualities. I think his teammates like him and have respect for him. I think he's doing a pretty good job on the field, too," Haley said last month. "He's doing everything that I'm asking him, that our coaches are asking him to do. I don't have one single complaint how he's carrying himself."
After one workout, wide receiver Devard Darling declared Cassel "a breath of fresh air."
"He has a lot of swagger, a lot of confidence. It's good for us," said Darling. "We trust in him that he's going to go out there and lead us all the way."
nse to accommodate his specific abilities.
Trapped on the bench behind Heisman winners Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart at USC and then unable to unseat Super Bowl MVP Brady at New England, Cassel seemed destined to be a backup all his life. As Brady was helped off the field last September, Cassel seized the opportunity he'd been waiting for since high school.
In his only sustained action since his teens, he hit 349 of 555 passes for 3,949 yards at New England. He had 23 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions as the Patriots, who had gone unbeaten through the regular season the year before, finished 11-5 and out of the playoffs.
Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli, who had been Bill Belichick's assistant in New England, engineered the trade after the Patriots became convinced that Brady would recover fully from his knee operation.
"Since Matt arrived in Kansas City, he has embraced the team and the community," Pioli said. "His work ethic, his ability and competitive presence is what we expect from our players."
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