Shaky Colts Need to Heat Up Against Dolphins

Football Betting Lines

12/29/2006 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts will have one final chance to build some sorely-needed momentum for the upcoming playoffs this Sunday, when the reeling AFC South champions conclude their regular season by hosting the Miami Dolphins.

It wasn't that long ago when the Colts were squarely in the driver's seat towards obtaining home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. That's now an impossibility, thanks to losses in four of the team's last six games, and the chances of Indianapolis receiving a bye for next week's Wild Card round have been greatly reduced as well because of that recent free-fall.

The Colts can still earn the No. 2 seed in the AFC, but only with a win over the Dolphins coupled with a Baltimore loss to Buffalo on Sunday. If Indianapolis falls to Miami and New England defeats Tennessee in its finale, the Colts would slip all the way to the fourth seed.

In reality, Indy doesn't have a whole lot of problems to fix as its heads into the postseason. Just one giant one.

While the Colts' high-scoring offense has played at an elite level all year long, a defense that has been helpless against opposing rushing attacks has been the root of the club's late-season collapse.

Indianapolis is surrendering an NFL-worst average of 174.5 rushing yards per game on the season and has yielded a pathetic 261.7 yards per contest on the ground during its three latest losses. In their most recent outing, the Colts allowed the normally non-threatening Ron Dayne to pile up a career-high 153 yards, a contributing factor to Houston's 27-24 upset victory last Sunday.

There will be no postseason appearance for the Dolphins for a fifth consecutive year, but they have at least shown a willingness to play the role of spoiler. Miami took the playoff-hopeful Jets to the wire on Christmas night before having its holiday ruined by a last-minute scoring drive that lifted New York to an exciting 13-10 win.

All of the Dolphins' points came in the fourth quarter with Cleo Lemon at the controls. The little-known quarterback replaced an ineffective Joey Harrington in the second half for the second straight week and completed 11-of-16 passes for 104 yards and a touchdown, a performance which earned Lemon his first career start under center on Sunday.

SERIES HISTORY

Miami owns a 44-22 advantage in its all-time regular season series against Indianapolis, but was a 23-17 home loser when the teams last met, in 2003. The Dolphins won the previous meeting, taking a 21-13 decision at the RCA Dome in 2002. The Dolphins are 5-0 in Indianapolis since suffering a 41-0 loss there during the 1997 campaign.

In addition to the regular season series, the teams have met twice in postseason play. Miami was a 23-17 overtime winner in a 2000 AFC First-Round Playoff at Dolphin Stadium (the franchise's most recent postseason victory), and also defeated the Baltimore Colts (21-0) in the 1971 AFC Championship.

Colts head coach Tony Dungy is 3-1 in his career against the Dolphins, including 1-1 since coming to Indianapolis in 2002. Saban will be meeting both Dungy and the Colts for the first time as a head coach.

DOLPHINS OFFENSE VS. COLTS DEFENSE

Miami has averaged a mere 15.9 points per game for the season, with the team's year-long instability at the quarterback position a primary culprit for that subpar output. Harrington (2,236 passing yards, 12 TD, 15 INT) has been downright brutal over the last two weeks. The former first-round pick mustered just 20 yards on 5-of-17 passing and was picked off twice before being replaced by Lemon in the Dolphins' 21-0 loss to Buffalo on December 17, then failed to move the offense during the first half of Monday's game. Lemon (202 passing yards, 1 TD, 0 INT) clearly provided a spark against the Jets, displaying both a strong arm and good mobility in his relief role, but it remains to be seen how the raw 27-year-old will fare against a defense that will game-plan for him. Whoever is under center will have a quality group of receivers to work with, although Marty Booker (51 receptions, 701 yards, 6 TD), Miami's best big-play threat, has been hampered by an ankle sprain which caused him to miss the Jets game. Wideouts Chris Chambers (56 receptions, 638 yards, 4 TD) and Wes Welker (64 receptions, 664 yards, 1 TD) and athletic tight end Randy McMichael (58 receptions, 585 yards, 2 TD) ensure the Dolphins are in good hands even if Booker is unable to play, however. A bigger concern for Saban is an offensive line that has given up 39 sacks and may have its hands full with the Colts' speed rushers.

Dungy's defense emphasizes speed over size, a philosophy which has certainly had a negative impact versus the run but also gives Indianapolis one of the league's top units against the pass. The Colts have allowed the second-fewest passing yards (156.3 ypg) in the NFL as well as a respectable total of 15 touchdowns through the air. The defense is at its best when ends Dwight Freeney (27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles) and Robert Mathis (64 tackles, 9.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles) are generating constant pressure the way the duo mercilessly harassed Cincinnati's Carson Palmer two weeks ago. Indy failed to record a sack against Houston, however, which enabled the inconsistent David Carr to complete nearly 70 percent of his throws and not turn the ball over. Cornerbacks Nick Harper (71 tackles, 3 INT) and Jason David (50 tackles, 2 INT) aren't big, but each is adept at keeping the play in front of him.

The Dolphins rank just 26th in rushing yards (101.5 ypg), a surprising figure considering Saban usually places a strong emphasis on the ground game and Miami possesses an outstanding young back in Ronnie Brown (893 rushing yards, 5 TD). The former Auburn star returned from a three-game absence due to a broken hand and showed no ill effects from the layoff, slicing through the Jets for 110 yards on 18 carries last Monday. Bruising backup Sammy Morris (381 rushing yards, 1 TD) did a capable job filling in for Brown, and is averaging a solid 4.2 yards per carry on the season.

Brown could be in line for another big day if Indianapolis can't find a cure for its well-documented inability to contain opposing backs. A return to the field by standout free safety Bob Sanders (27 tackles, 1 INT) would definitely help matters. The 2005 All-Pro has played in only four games this season because of a lingering knee injury, but the Colts are hopeful he will be available on Sunday. Safeties Marlin Jackson (79 tackles, 1 INT) and Antoine Bethea (80 tackles, 1 INT) were far too busy in the Houston game, as the pair combined for 23 tackles while Dayne continually ran through the front seven. The star of an otherwise nondescript group of linebackers is weakside starter Cato June (2 INT, 0.5 sacks), who leads the club with 131 tackles and is also strong against the pass.

COLTS OFFENSE VS. DOLPHINS DEFENSE

Indianapolis has far fewer worries on the offensive end, where the Colts rank second in passing yards (268.4 ypg) and third in both total yards (378.1 ypg) and points scored (26.7 ppg). It's scary to think where Indy would be without quarterback Peyton Manning (4,115 passing yards, 29 TD, 9 INT), who set an NFL record by eclipsing the 4,000-yard mark for the seventh time in his brilliant career during last week's loss. Manning has also thrown seven touchdown passes over the last two games, five of which have gone to super veteran Marvin Harrison (90 receptions, 1,292 yards, 11 TD). The eight-time Pro Bowler Harrison had 112 yards on eight grabs against Houston, the third time in four weeks he has gone past the century mark. Reggie Wayne (80 receptions, 1,240 yards, 9 TD) is just as dangerous on the other side, and there's a possibility Manning could get another weapon back in tight end Dallas Clark (26 receptions, 311 yards, 4 TD), who is close to returning from a knee sprain that's kept him out of the last four contests. A rock-solid line anchored by Pro Bowl honorees Jeff Saturday and Tarik Glenn has surrendered a league-low 15 sacks.

The Dolphins will need to apply heat on Manning to keep Indy's high-powered offense in check. Luckily for Miami, rushing the passer is an area of strength. Jason Taylor (56 tackles, 13.5 sacks, 9 forced fumbles) has been the league's most dominant defensive end this season, and the leader of a defense that stands third overall with 47 sacks. Tackle Vonnie Holliday (65 tackles, 7 sacks) has also enjoyed an excellent campaign, while veteran Kevin Carter (42 tackles, 5.5 sacks) has been a force opposite Taylor as well. A sturdy secondary has contributed to Miami's No. 4 ranking in passing yards allowed (181.7 ypg), but the unit figures to be shorthanded on Sunday. Starting cornerback Andre' Goodman (41 tackles, 9 PBU) hurt his left shoulder versus the Jets and is unlikely to play, while reserve Eddie Jackson suffered a season-ending knee injury on special teams during the game.

Indianapolis has rotated running backs Joseph Addai (1,017 rushing yards, 7 TD) and Dominic Rhodes (599 rushing yards, 5 TD) throughout the season, but the younger and stronger Addai has clearly established himself as the No. 1 guy during the latter part of the year. The 23-year-old became the first rookie in 2006 to surpass the 1,000-yard barrier with his 15-carry, 100-yard effort against the Texans, and has averaged a terrific five yards per rush behind the Colts' sturdy front wall. Addai has added 296 receiving yards on 37 grabs, while Rhodes (36 receptions, 251 yards) is a fine pass-catcher as well. For the year, Indianapolis owns the NFL's 18th-rated rushing offense (109.7 ypg).

Miami counters the Colts' effective ground attack with a defense that has surrendered just 100.1 rushing yards per game (seventh overall) and hasn't let an opposing back reach the century mark since Green Bay's Ahman Green did so back in Week 7. Holliday and massive tackle Keith Traylor (35 tackles, 4 sacks) often control the line of scrimmage, and allow relentless middle linebacker Zach Thomas (153 tackles, 3 sacks, 1 INT) to roam free and pile up stops. Traylor injured his knee in the Jets game, however, and may have to sit out the finale. Carter is an excellent run-stuffer as well, while Yeremiah Bell (62 tackles, 2 sacks, 13 PBU) has emerged as an impact player since taking over at strong safety in midseason.

OVERALL ANALYSIS

Teams have discovered in the season's second half that the formula for success against the Colts consists of running the ball down their throats. Miami will no doubt stick to that game plan, which coupled with a terrific defense gives the Dolphins a very reasonable chance of coming out on top. Still, it's hard to go against the team that has a whole lot more on the line, especially when that team has Peyton Manning and is 7-0 at home this season. The Dolphins will make Indianapolis earn it, but Miami's deficiencies on offense prevent the upset from taking place.

Sportsbook Betting Lines Predicted Outcome: Colts 17, Dolphins 16

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Police report: Terrell Owens hospitalized after attempt

Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.

The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.

Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.

NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.

"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.

The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.

But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.

The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"

When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.

Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.

The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.

The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.

The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.

Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.

Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."

Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.

"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."

Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.

It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.

"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."

Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.

"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."

At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.

According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.

Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.

Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.

When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.

He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.

Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.

Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.

Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.

Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.

While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.

"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.

Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.

Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com

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Pacific-10 Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Stanford

Oregon and USC get their tickets punched after taking care of business this weekend. Yes, the Trojans' computer numbers aren't great, but there's no way the third-place team in this league is getting nixed. Grudgingly, I added Arizona after consultation with our Bracketologist. I don't know that Arizona will lose its last three (including a Pac-10 quarterfinal game), and even if the Cats do, I still can't see how they'd be left out, given the overall profile. That said, it bears watching, as three more L's would leave them at 18-12 (9-9) and on a 6-11 skid entering the Dance. It would be nice to see the Wildcats get at least one W in the Bay Area next week, as Cincinnati (albeit without Armein Kirkland and with a worse profile) was axed after a similar slide last season. I just couldn't rationalize having some of the other teams as locks and not having Arizona in that category -- there just aren't enough good teams behind the Cats to threaten their spot, it seems. Stanford has its fate in its own hands with the Arizona schools coming to the Farm to close out the regular season next weekend.

Should be in:

Stanford [17-10 (9-7), RPI: 40, SOS: 21] No shame in not getting a win in L.A., but that makes the home game against Arizona State a must-win ahead of what could be an intriguing meeting with Arizona should the Cats lose at Cal. Getting to 11 Pac-10 wins would make Selection Sunday much more comfortable, but 10's probably more than enough this season. The Cardinal have nonconference wins over Texas Tech and at Virginia to lean on, although they also lost badly to Air Force and Santa Clara at home.

Southeastern Conference odds
Work left to do: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Mississippi State

It looks more and more possible that no one from the SEC West will make the NCAAs. How weird is that? Tennessee and Vandy move into the locks category after more good work this weekend. Kentucky stays there, although it would be smart for the Cats to handle Georgia at home Wednesday ahead of a trip to the Swamp. Could a disaster scenario (two more L's and a first-round SEC tourney exit) somehow dislodge the Cats despite their incredible computer numbers? Still unlikely, but not worth chancing it.

Work left to do:

Alabama [19-9 (6-8), RPI: 43, SOS: 47] The tough L at Tennessee was understandable, and even created some hope. Unfortunately, that hope was dashed by a home loss to Auburn, which leaves the Tide in some real trouble. There's still no signature win on the profile (no, Kentucky doesn't count), and the computer profile is weakening rapidly. The Tide conceivably could beat Ole Miss and win at Miss. State to get to 8-8 and clinch at least a share of the West crown, but that's probably not enough right now. The Tide will need to do some work in the SEC tourney.

Georgia [16-10 (8-6), RPI: 52, SOS: 23] This is the team with the best chance to make it from this section right now. The Bulldogs rebounded from a terrible performance at Ole Miss to beat down Miss. State. Now they are at Kentucky (king of the RPI 51-100 win) and home to Tennessee. That would be worth a lot of computer points to get both (which is doable), as both teams are in the top 11 in RPI. Finishing at least 9-7 is an absolute must, and I would feel much better about the Dawgs' chances if they got both to get to 10 SEC wins. They also beat Gonzaga, but lost to ACC bubblers Georgia Tech and Clemson.

Mississippi [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 63, SOS: 79] Like everyone else in this division, Ole Miss gacked up a chance to stake a claim, losing by double figures at South Carolina. Even 9-7 likely is not nearly enough with a nonconference profile devoid of anything notable.

Mississippi State [16-11 (7-7), RPI: 66, SOS: 37] With a chance to get in the mix, these Bulldogs were leashed by their Georgia counterparts. Could they get to 9-7? I guess -- although winning at Arkansas, then beating Alabama is no lock -- but would that mean all that much for a team with this overall profile? Probably not. There's nothing of note (on the good side) in the nonconference profile.

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