49ers' Smith shows his leadership

Football Betting Lines

12/20/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Everyone was as sure as Pacific Northwest rainfall that Seattle would avenge an early-season defeat against the 49ers last Thursday, and in the process clinch the NFC West.

But Alex Smith had a different idea.

Smith shook off the Seahawks and the rain with three fourth-quarter touchdowns in San Francisco's 24-14 win over Seattle on the primetime stage. The signal- caller has been up and down all year, but put together an impressive comeback for his resume.

Trailing 7-3, Smith engineered a 90-play drive to put his team ahead early in the fourth. Backed up at his own 13, he hooked up with Arnaz Battle for a 53- yard completion. He then put the Niners up when he found rookie tight end Vernon Davis in the end zone from eight yards out.

However, it was Smith's second TD toss that was most impressive.

After a big defensive stop on fourth down by San Francisco's defense, Smith guided his squad to the 15. After a delay of game call, Seattle corner Kelly Herndon seemed about ready to level Smith and post a big sack. Smith, though, shook off and avoided Herndon. He then rolled to his left and hit the 49ers' other young rising star, Frank Gore, for a touchdown pass that made it a two- possession lead with just over four minutes to go.

"I knew that the plays were there to be made and I was capable of making them," Smith said. "It was just a matter of getting going and hitting some things and getting some momentum."

Smith later capped his big quarter with an 18-yard touchdown run.

"He stayed the course throughout the entire game," 49ers head coach Mike Nolan said of Smith. "That was really important. He didn't vary from that. He didn't try to force balls. He just played a good game. It was in spurts, but he did play a good game."

The second-year signal caller needed a game like this. And lucky for him, it came in a nationally-televised game.

Smith's growing pains this season had been obvious. He came out of the gate firing, but suffered through a brutal November. He rebounded slightly two weeks ago against Green Bay, but had by far his most complete game in a while against Seattle.

The Utah product threw for just 162 yards -- in the rain, mind you -- but in addition to factoring in on three TDs, he completed 56 percent of his passes and wasn't picked off.

"I do believe that Alex has good toughness. He's a bright guy who knows football," Nolan said. "You don't have to teach him things more than once. You tell him and he pretty much gets it. You may have to remind him from time to time, but he's very resilient."

At 6-8, the 49ers are still mathematically in both the Wild Card and division title hunt. However, they still trail the Seahawks (8-6) by a pair of games with two to play and are among five 6-8 teams that trail two 7-7 teams for the final Wild Card spot.

It seemingly would take a lot for the 49ers to get in, but if they don't reach the postseason, they have a couple of games they can really look back on this season as stepping stones.

"This is definitely something we can continue to build on," said defensive end Bryant Young. "This just shows you, when we don't shoot ourselves in the foot, this is what happens. If we continue to build on what we've been able to accomplish with the victories and everything, the sky's the limit for us."

49ERS GETTING IN SEAHAWKS' HEADS

The win last Thursday gave the 49ers their first series sweep of the Seahawks since 2002, the first year of realignment. That's important for the club if it wishes to be contenders in the division.

The 49ers also did another good job of shutting down Seattle running back Shaun Alexander. Last year's MVP ran for just 37 yards in San Fran's 20-14 home win over Seattle on November 19. That performance was Alexander's first since suffering the foot injury that caused him to miss a nice chunk of the season.

Thursday, he rushed for 73 yards a score. However, he managed just 16 yards in the second half.

Gore, meanwhile, enjoyed another successful game against the division rival. He rushed for 144 yards and turned in his first career touchdown reception. Gore ran for a total of 356 yards in two games against the Seahawks.

The Miami-Florida product earned his eighth 100-yard game of the season.

Also, Battle set a career-high with 97 yards receiving.

LOSING HEITMANN

The 49ers weren't all smiles after their win, as the club learned it will be without center Eric Heitmann for the rest of the season.

Heitmann broke his right tibia in the first quarter when Seattle defensive end Darryl Tapp rolled onto his leg during a block. The fifth-year pro had to have a rod inserted into his leg. The injury will bring an end to his consecutive start steak, which stood at 45.

Nolan said he thinks recovery time for Heitmann is 12-to-14 weeks.

"Eric is an instrumental part of our offense and everything we do," Nolan said on Friday. "He is the center. We lose him, which is unfortunate. It won't be career-ending. He'll be back, but not this year, not this season."

Nolan said on Monday that he thinks Tony Wragge -- who replaced Heitmann against Seattle -- will start the 49ers' next game. However, he will try to work in David Baas as well.

"For right now Tony has been in there for the reps that he has gotten and there is definitely no disappointment in David Baas," said Nolan. "I am very anxious to get David in there because he is a gamer and he plays well. For right now, Tony has been in the middle and I think he has more NFL game experience than David has right now, and the calls that go with it."

In other injury news, Nolan said on Monday that tackle Adam Snyder, tight end Eric Johnson and linebacker Derek Smith are all questionable for Sunday, but he hopes all three will be able to play.

In good news, cornerback Shawntae Spencer returned to the lineup against Seattle after missing the last three games. Spencer had been sidelined with an ankle injury, and recorded his first interception of the season in the win.

NEXT UP: SHUFFLING THE CARDS

The 49ers will seek to avenge a Week 1 loss to the Cardinals on Sunday.

Then-Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner threw for 301 yards and three touchdowns in the 34-27 season-opening win that christened the Cardinals' new stadium. San Francisco will get its first look at Matt Leinart, who has since replaced Warner as Arizona's quarterback.

Gore rushed for 87 yards and scored twice in the loss, the 49ers third straight to the Cardinals. Smith threw for 288 yards and a touchdown.

San Francisco is 17-13-0 all-time against the Cardinals.

Wwwtreasuredome Football Betting News

<< Injuries, inconsistency plague Browns once again
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Cleveland Browns lost another game this past Sunday. That should have come as no surprise, considering they were facing a very good Baltimore Ravens squad on the road. Romeo Crennel's troops displayed grit, fighting ba

<< Bucs prove they'll fight to the bitter end
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Gruden is not into moral victories. Neither are his players. However, the hard-nosed Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach and his troops had to feel at least some sense of satisfaction after nearly pulling off the biggest upse

<< Leinart loses battle of rookie quarterbacks
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Arizona's Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler of Denver will probably be compared to each other for years to come. Both were taken in the first round of the 2006 draft; Leinart was grabbed 10th overall, Cutler one pick later. N

<< Man U inks Saha to four-year deal
Manchester, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Despite his current contract not expiring for another two full years, Manchester United forward Louis Saha signed a deal on Wednesday that will keep him at Old Trafford until 2010, further

<< No end in sight for LT's dream season
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - LaDainian Tomlinson has been busy shattering records all season long, but this year it is clear that the superstar running back's ambitions go well beyond personal achievements. Tomlinson's legend is growing with each pass

Grossman, Dawkins, Turk earn Player of the Week honors >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chicago Bears quarterback Rex Grossman, Philadelphia Eagles safety Brian Dawkins and St. Louis Rams punter Matt Turk have been named the NFC Players of the Week for Week 15. Grossman was named Offensi

Tomlinson among AFC Players of the Week >>
New York, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - San Diego Chargers standout running back LaDainian Tomlinson, Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dwight Freeney and Buffalo Bills punter Brian Moorman took home the weekly AFC honors for Week 15 of the

Browns place Butler on IR >>
Berea, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Kelly Butler has been placed on injured reserve with a broken bone in his foot. Butler suffered the injury during last week's loss to the Ravens. He had been starting in pla

Last-Minute Shopping not First on Ravens' List >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - List of things to do for you Ravens fans in the week preceding Christmas: 1. File a formal complaint with whoever is responsible for selecting the AFC Pro Bowl team (be sure to CC yourself, since fan voting makes up a larg

Keane, Miller Named Team Captains for AHL All-Star Classic >>
Springfield, MA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - American Hockey League President and CEO David Andrews announced today that Mike Keane of the Manitoba Moose and Kip Miller of the Grand Rapids Griffins will serve as playing captains for the 2007 Rbk Hockey A

Mayweather picked to beat De La Hoya
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -- Golden Boy Oscar De La Hoya and his rival Floyd Mayweather Jr. arrived at the MGM Grand here Wednesday amid the pomp and pandemonium befitting two of the biggest stars in the sport who are about to duke it out for the WBC super welterweight crown this Saturday (Sunday in Manila).

As of Wednesday, MySportsbook.com closed its book with Mayweather a favorite to defeat De La Hoya at -170 (a $100 bet wins $70), while De La Hoya is a +140 underdog (a $100 bet wins $140).

Mayweather arrived at about 11:30 a.m. on a big truck with his face and a big "World's Best Pound-for-Pound" sign scribbled across the vehicle. He was accompanied by his entourage made up of rappers and his training team.

A crowd of close to 3,000 eager fans packed the MGM Grand lobby, with their cameras in tow, all trying to vie for position to get a good angle at Mayweather, who is acknowledged as the world's best fighter pound-for-pound.

Eric Gomez, Golden Boy Promotions vice-president, described the fan turnout as "amazing" and swore he had never seen anything quite like this event.

"The crowd was fantastic. Everybody was just too eager to see the two fighters," said ALA manager Michael Aldeguer, who was among those who waited at the lobby together with his ward Rey "Boom Boom" Bautista and AJ Banal.

De La Hoya made his own grand entrance at the hotel lobby at around 12:30 p.m. accompanied by GBP chief executive officer Richard Schaefer and trainer Freddie Roach.

The same group of fans who trooped to see Mayweather also lingered around to get a close look at De La Hoya, who has been secretly working out at a Las Vegas gym for days after arriving from his main training camp in Puerto Rico.

The golden boy then took part in a closed-door afternoon workout with Bautista and Banal. The two, along with Aldeguer and wife Christine, as well as an HBO crew were the only ones allowed inside the gym.

De La Hoya and Mayweather take part in today's final press conference before the official weigh-in this Friday.

Ring Magazine, the acknowledged bible of boxing, reported in its June 2007 issue that 12 out of 20 boxing experts it interviewed have favored Mayweather to defeat De la Hoya, with only 8 favoring the latter.

But Filipino ring icon Manny Pacquiao said in a recent interview with The Freeman's Emmanuel Villaruel that De La Hoya will win by unanimous decision over Mayweather.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on boxing needs.

Eastern Conference Playoff Betting Trends

We all know by now that the “public” loves to put their money on the FAVORITES and the OVERS.  Just by taking a quick glance at Sportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends” it appears as is this tendency will continue as far as the Eastern Conference games are concerned.  For the inaugural games of the first round, 69% of the early money is on Toronto -4.5; 59% of bettors prefer Chicago -4.5; 84% are backing Detroit -9; and 56% think Cleveland -11.5 is the way to go.  As far as TOTALS are concerned, the only UNDER the “public” is backing is the Cleveland/ Washington game in which 83% are pounding the UNDER (190).  Remember, there is no better way to predict a possible line change than by monitoring MySportsbook.com’s “Betting Trends”.   By determining who the “public” is backing, you can get the most ideal line for your bet.  For example, if you are siding with the public you better place your bet before the line moves in the wrong direction.  On the other side of the coin, if you prefer the team that the “public” is betting against; you might be able to get and extra ½ or even more by placing your bet a bit later.  Under the “Betting Trends” section, Sportsbook.com also provides plenty of statistical data and trends in order for the bettor to make the most informed pick.  Below are some extremely important trends for the first round opponents of the Eastern Conference match-ups, more can be found at MySportsbook.com

New Jersey Nets vs. Toronto Raptors

Toronto was the most reliable covering team this season with a 48-33-1 ATS record but covered the OVER only 41.5% of the time.
The last 20 times these teams have played, the TOTAL has gone UNDER 16 times.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Toronto is 33-19 ATS including 17-9 at home.
 New Jersey has covered four games in a row while Toronto has failed to cover their last four games.
When playing a team with a winning record during the second half of the season, New Jersey was just 5-13 ATS this season.
After scoring 105 points or more, Toronto has covered the OVER only 28% of the time this season. 
 
Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls

Miami has failed to cover their last 7 games whereas Chicago has covered 6 out of their last 8 games.
Miami has covered the UNDER in four of their last five games whereas Chicago has covered the UNDER in five out of their last six.
When playing on Saturdays, Miami covered 80% of their games this season.
Away from home, Chicago is just 16-25 ATS this season.
At home, Miami covered the UNDER about 66% of the time whereas Chicago covered the UNDER about 61% of the time.
The last 13 times these teams have played each other, Chicago has covered 9 times.
In Miami’s last 11 road games, the UNDER covered 9 times. 
 
Orlando Magic @ Detroit Pistons

Detroit has covered 5 out of their last 6 games.
Away from home, Detroit is 28-13 ATS but just 14-26-1 ATS at home.
At home, Orlando covered the UNDER 64% of the time while Detroit covered the UNDER in 63% of their away games.
The last five times these teams have played in Detroit, the OVER covered each time.
Versus Eastern Conference teams, Detroit is 8-17-1 ATS at home but 17-9 ATS away.
Detroit covered the spread 5 out of the last 6 times they played Orlando.
After a Division game, Orlando covered the UNDER 87% of the time this season. 
 
Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers

In a home game where the TOTAL is between 190 and 194.5 points, Cleveland is 9-1 ATS this season.
Washington has covered the UNDER in their last 6 games and in 8 of their last 9 games.
The last 6 times these teams have played each other, the UNDER covered each time.
When playing on 3 or more days of rest, Washington is just 18-37 ATS since 1996.
Since 1996, Washington is 28-16 ATS versus Cleveland including 11-5 over the last 3 seasons.
In their last 7 road games, Washington is 6-1 ATS.
Versus Eastern Conference teams at home, Washington is just 6-18-2 ATS. 
 
For even more betting trends for not just the NBA but for all of the major sports, log on to Sportsbook.com and click on “Trends”.  With only two months left in the NBA betting season it is important to be as well informed as possible in order to maximize your profit.  Also for all of you poker players, check out MySportsbook.com’s “WSOP Low Bid Auction”. You could be on your way to Vegas to play against the world’s best poker players for under a buck.

About MySportsbook.com MySportsbook.com  is the largest sportsbook and casino on the planet, where millions of adult Americans bet on sports, play poker and enjoy blackjack and other casino games online in a regulated and licensed jurisdiction. Named the "Best US Sports Book" by the industry's top magazine, eGaming Review, MySportsbook.com has been leading the online gaming industry since 1996. Dwarfing its nearest competitors in the US, MySportsbook.com has been the first to achieve every significant industry milestone, from record turnover to active users to number of bets--achieving a peak of fifteen bets per second. As the US online gaming leader, the firm and it's products have been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, ESPN, Wall Street Journal, Barrons, Financial Times, USA Today and in every major newspaper in the US.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your basketball sportsbook needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.