Chiefs have yet to address problems with front 7

Football Betting Lines

08/04/2010 -

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) -In a busy offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs went after just about everything except what many fans think they lacked the most.

They picked up a 1,000-yard rusher to go with the 1,000-yard rusher they already had and drafted a speedy wide receiver, a tight end and a guard.

Except for Eric Berry, a badly needed safety drafted in the first round, they didn't do much for a defense that finished a laughable 31st against the run. Everybody is back on the front seven - everybody who had a hand in enabling journeymen running back Jerome Harrison to rush for 286 yards and erase the great Jim Brown's Cleveland team record.

If fans were surprised that Berry was the only significant pickup on that side of the ball, they were not alone.

So were the players.

``It's a boost to know they have confidence in us and they believe we're going to get it right,'' said lineman Glenn Dorsey. ``We've got a lot of chemistry and we believe we can get it done. And it's good to know they think so, also.''

Harrison was one of only six rushers who went over 100 yards against the Chiefs' newly installed 3-4 defense. So rather than a bunch of new faces or an overhaul, management's mandate to the mostly young, underachieving front seven is clear: Get better.

``As I've said before, you can't get everything that you want or you may think you need,'' said coach Todd Haley. ``In the NFL, the way I know you can have continued success is to develop the young; the first, second and third-year players you have on your team. That is mandatory. If you're not developing young players on your team, you probably have very little chance of success.''

And the Chiefs will have little chance of success without a big improvement on the defensive front. One reason for hope is that everybody is more familiar with the defense. A year ago, a new coaching staff took players who were acquired and trained in the 4-3 and switched them to the 3-4. Growing pains were obvious.

``A lot of it was technique,'' said defensive end Tyson Jackson, the third overall selection in the 2009 draft.

While the players remained the same, that cannot be said of the coaches. Former Cleveland Browns head coach Romeo Crennel was brought in as defensive coordinator and Tim Krumrie was replaced as defensive line coach by Anthony Pleasant, a 15-year veteran. Crennel's specialty is the defensive line and he's been giving that element extra attention.

Another new wrinkle is the presence of grandmaster Joseph Kim. The taekwando expert is working with the pass rushers, teaching them how to use their hands and hips as he's done with several other NFL teams, including the Cowboys, Dolphins, Browns and Bills.

``It's going to help a lot,'' said lineman Glenn Dorsey. ``At first you think some of the things he tells you to do don't seem natural. But they are.''

Getting better hardly seems like much to ask of the Chiefs' front seven. Dorsey, Jackson, and linebackers Tamba Hali and Derrick Johnson were all first-round picks. The Chiefs have invested more money in that part of the team than any other.

But they have yet to get full value in return.

``I cannot stress it enough - those are the guys that have to take that next step, whether they're backups that become starters, starters that become stars or third-teamers that become backups,'' Haley said. ``Those guys have to take steps and have to make that next step, and that will help us.''

Dorsey, drafted No. 5 overall in 2008, believes it will happen.

``Everybody's got a better grasp of what the coaches are asking for this year,'' he said. ``We realize we lost a lot of close games last year and we're concentrating this year on not making the same mistakes we made then. We challenged each other this year. We've been through that hard season and we're determined to get better. We're confident in each other.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

Metrocasinio Football Betting News

<< Teammates say Favre texted them of plans to retire
MANKATO, Minn. (AP) -With everyone assuming Brett Favre was returning for a 20th NFL season, the Minnesota Vikings were enjoying a relatively calm and quiet training camp as they started preparations for another run at the Super Bowl.All that tranqu

<< Sabres cut ties with Kennedy
Buffalo, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Buffalo Sabres waived and will buy out forward Tim Kennedy's contract after he was awarded a $1 million, one-year deal from an arbitrator last Thursday. The buyout is worth $333,333 over the next

<< Mariners' Bedard to have surgery again
Seattle, WA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Oft-injured Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Erik Bedard will have left shoulder surgery on Friday. It will be the lefty's third surgery in as many years on his pitching shoulder, and this procedu

<< Jags rookie DT Smith may miss season
Jacksonville, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jacksonville Jaguars rookie defensive tackle D'Anthony Smith may miss the entire 2010 season after suffering an injury to his right Achilles' tendon. According to The Florida Times-Union, Smith,

<< Pirates' McCutchen leaves with neck bruise
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Andrew McCutchen left Tuesday's game against Cincinnati after being struck in the neck with a Mike Leake pitch in the second inning. McCutchen fell to the ground imm

Zvonareva, Radwanska advance at Carlsbad >>
Carlsbad, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Third-seeded Vera Zvonareva and fourth-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska were among Tuesday's first-round winners at the $700,000 Mercury Insurance Open. Zvonareva, who is participating in her first tournamen

Vikings hope to sway Favre with more money >>
Minneapolis, MN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If Brett Favre does decide to retire, he will apparently be turning down more money from the Minnesota Vikings. According to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, which on Tuesday first broke the news of Fa

Rockets and Nets to play in China >>
Beijing, China (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The NBA will again head to China for the preseason, as the New Jersey Nets and Houston Rockets will meet for a pair of games in October. This will be the fifth set of preseason games in China for the NB

Rookie defender Ream the best value in New York >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Red Bull New York pays rookie defender Tim Ream $40,000 a year, or about $1.8 million less than striker Juan Pablo Angel, if that offers a better perspective. But the 22-year-old Ream has been just as valuabl

Lions make it official with Suh >>
Allen Park, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Detroit Lions made it official on Wednesday and agreed to terms with defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh, the second overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft. Lions president Tom Lewand said Wednesday morni

MySportsbook.com and Kentucky Derby Offer Bonuses
The 2008 Kentucky Derby has announced a $1-million bonus for this weekend’s 134th ‘Run for the Roses’ and MySportsbook.com is doing the same.

Well, not quite $1 million, but MySportsbook.com is offering a 75% rebate for Kentucky Derby lines. Check out the exclusive horse racing bonus for all the details.

According to MySportsbook.com, the favorites for Saturday’s Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky are: Curlin (+250); Street Sense (+500); Scat Daddy (+700); Circular Quay (+750); and Nobiz Like Shobiz (+800).

Derby organizers announced this week that there will be a $1-million bonus at the 2007 Kentucky Derby odds if the first-place horse wins by more than 6 1/2 lengths – the margin of Barbaro's victory last year. The bonus would be divided Saturday among the winning trainer, jockey, owner and a charity, with each receiving 25 percent. The designated charity is the Barbaro Memorial Fund.

''It's certainly creative, it's certainly fun and it has something for the horsemen, which we always want to embrace,'' Churchill Downs president and chief executive Robert Evans said at a news conference. ''What's really cool is it will force us to remember Barbaro.''
    
Meanwhile, the Derby favorite – Curlin – is going against the odds this year. It's been 125 years since Apollo won after skipping his 2-year-old season, and not since Regret in 1915 has such a lightly seasoned horse worn the blanket of red roses.

Arkansas Derby winner Curlin – unbeaten in three career races – tries to overcome both those obstacles in Saturday's 133rd Derby.

''We're not running against history,'' trainer Steve Asmussen said Monday. ''We're running against who they load up.''

Six other horses have run in the Derby without benefit of 2-year-old races and with three or fewer starts. The best any of them managed was a sixth-place finish by Showing Up last year.
   
Asmussen dismissed suggestions that Curlin's lack of racing experience could keep him from the winner's circle.

”He exudes confidence and he's got a great presence about him,'' the trainer said. ''I feel great about the position we're in. He's not worried about anything, why should you be?''
   
The Kentucky Derby is at 4:04 p.m., ET Saturday.

For complete odds on the Kentucky Derby, visit MySportsbook.com. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.


Dallas Cowboys Super Bowl Odds

Will he or won't he?  Now that the Dallas Cowboys have a new head coach in Wade Phillips, the big question will be: Does Terrell Owens stay with the team.

Jerry Jones continues to suggest that Terrell Owens will remain with the team.

"I've said that he's back, he's here, he's under contract," Jones said. "In the interviews I've just been through (to hire a new coach), it was very clear to me how highly he's thought of and how much of an impact he had on our offensive success."

Just to be sure though, Terrell Owens cleared out his locker and removed his name plate.

Terrell Owens was among the Cowboys most productive players this past season, catching 85 passes for 1,180 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns.

But T.O. is due a $3 million roster bonus in June, then a $5 million salary this season. Cutting him before then would save a lot of money and headaches.

Aside from the questions surrounding Terrell Owens, the oddsmakers at MySportsbook.com have concerns over starting quarterback Tony Romo's state of mind and whether he will remain a starting quarterback.  It is also not known how players will adjust to new head coach, Wade Phillips.

Here are the football odds as seen at MySportsbook.com and subject to change after February 10, 2007 if not locked in prior to that date.
Arizona Cardinals 60-1


Atlanta Falcons 50-1


Baltimore Ravens 15-1


Buffalo Bills 50-1


Carolina Panthers 18-1


Chicago Bears 10-1


Cincinnati Bengals 15-1


Cleveland Browns 100-1


Dallas Cowboys 15-1


Denver Broncos 15-1


Detroit Lions 100-1


Green Bay Packers 50-1


Houston Texans 100-1


Indianapolis Colts 6-1


Jacksonville Jaguars 30-1


Kansas City Chiefs 30-1


Miami Dolphins 40-1


Minnesota Vikings 75-1


New England Patriots 10-1


New Orleans Saints 18-1


New York Giants 20-1


New York Jets 30-1


Oakland Raiders 100-1


Philadelphia Eagles 18-1


Pittsburgh Steelers 10-1


Saint Louis Rams 60-1


San Diego Chargers 6-1


San Francisco 49ers 75-1


Seattle Seahawks 20-1


Tampa Bay Buccanneers 75-1


Tennessee Titans 40-1


Washington Redskins 50-1

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your Sportsbook credit cards needs.