Incentive drives the numbers
The final week of the regular season in the NFL has brought the wagering world some odd point spreads.
Dallas, seeded No. 1 in the NFC, is nearly a nine-point underdog in Washington. Green Bay, which has owned Detroit at home since before Brett Favre started playing quarterback for the Packers, is less than a touchdown over the Lions in Wisconsin. Defending Super Bowl champion Indianapolis is a home underdog versus Tennessee.
Of course, incentive is the key in determining lines for games at this stage of the season. And the Cowboys and Colts have none.
Meanwhile, Washington and Tennessee have everything to gain with a win. The Redskins and Titans will earn wild-card berths in the playoffs with a victory.
Washington, whose hopes for the playoffs seemed lost after the death of Sean Taylor and the loss of starting quarterback Jason Campbell, has rallied to win three in a row under backup Todd Collins. They might be the better bet today because Dallas will rest a lot of key players and because they nearly beat the Cowboys in Dallas when the home team was at full strength. On the other hand, this rivalry is a bitter one and the Cowboys wouldn’t mind keeping the Redskins out of the playoffs.
Even if Indianapolis restricts playing time for Peyton Manning and others, the Titans may have trouble winning for the first time in the RCA Dome since 2002. Tennessee has trouble scoring under the best of circumstances and quarterback Vince Young has not been an effective passer in the second half of the season.
Detroit, which ended a six-game losing streak against a terrible Kansas City team, hasn’t won in Green Bay since 1991 and the Packers, who were embarrassed a week ago in Chicago, are likely to play their starters more than other teams who have clinched their playoff seeding in hopes of regaining some momentum.
College football
Colorado and Alabama, teams that have no business being in a bowl game, will play in one tonight, squaring off in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.
After beginning 6-2 under Coach Nick Saban, the Crimson Tide folded late, losing four in a row, a collapse that began after they squandered a lead late against Louisiana State.
One of their defeats came at home to Louisiana Monroe, 21-14.
Colorado is also 6-6, but at least the Buffaloes enter off a win. They defeated Nebraska, 65-51, in the regular-season finale at Boulder.
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