Engram, Jennings, McDonald among Browns' final cuts
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09/04/2010 - Berea, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Wide receiver Bobby Engram, running back Chris Jennings and cornerback Brandon McDonald were among the notables released by the Cleveland Browns on Saturday, as the team reduced its roster to 53 players.
Engram, a 14-year NFL veteran, was attempting to extend an esteemed career that began with the Chicago Bears in 1996. The former second-round draft choice out of Penn State, who appeared in five games as a Kansas City Chief last year, also boasts NFL experience with the Seattle Seahawks (2002-08) and Chicago Bears (1996-2001).
Engram has 650 career catches for 7,751 yards and 35 touchdowns.
Jennings exits the team after appearing in nine games for the Browns a year ago. The Arizona product carried 63 times for 220 yards and a touchdown in 2009.
McDonald was a mainstay in the Browns secondary the past three seasons, appearing in all 48 of the team's games with 27 starts. The former fifth-round pick out of Memphis has eight career NFL interceptions.
Also released on Saturday were defensive back Larry Asante, defensive back Chris Chancellor, offensive lineman Paul Fanaika, defensive lineman Clifton Geathers, defensive lineman Travis Ivey, offensive lineman Scott Kooistra, defensive lineman Swanson Miller, defensive lineman C.J. Mosley, offensive lineman Pat Murray, quarterback Brett Ratliff, defensive lineman Brian Sanford and defensive back DeAngelo Smith.
In other business, the Browns activated defensive lineman Shaun Rogers from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list.
On Friday, the Browns released defensive back Coye Francies, offensive linemen Casey Bender and Joel Reinders and tight end Joel Gamble, along with wide receivers Jake Allen and Syndric Steptoe.
Cleveland will open its season next Sunday, when it travels to meet the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Lincoln, NE (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Freshman quarterback Taylor Martinez ran for three touchdowns and accounted for 263 of Nebraska's 536 yards of offense, as the eighth-ranked Cornhuskers walloped Western Kentucky, 49-10, at Memorial Stadium
<< Goalkeeper gaffe gives Columbus win at United
Washington, D.C. (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Guillermo Barros Schelotto scored the lone
goal after a mistake by D.C. United rookie goalie Bill Hamid and the Columbus
Crew won 1-0 on Saturday night in Major League Soccer at RFK Stadium.
Columbus (13-
<< Razorbacks roll to season-opening win
Fayetteville, AR (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Mallett tossed three touchdown passes
to lead 17th-ranked Arkansas to a 44-3 rout of Tennessee Tech in the opener
for both schools.
Mallett went 21-for-24 for 301 yards along with a pick for t
<< Jacksonville State revels in upset of Rebels
Oxford, MS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jacksonville State didn't have to go for a 2-
point conversion, and the win, in the second overtime against Mississippi on
Saturday.
It's a good thing JSU coach head coach Jack Crowe didn't believe his defense
<< Redskins release 21, including three ex-Steelers
Ashburn, VA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Washington Redskins released 21 players from
their roster as part of Saturday's "cut-down day" maneuvers, including three
who won Super Bowl rings with the Pittsburgh Steelers back in 2008.
Running back Wil
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Austin Jackson went 3-for-4 and singled in the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, leading the Detroit Tigers to a 6-4 win over the Kansas City Royals in the middle test of a three-game series. Jackson als
Oklahoma holds on against Utah State >>
Norman, OK (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ryan Broyles posted 142 yards and two touchdowns
on nine receptions as seventh-ranked Oklahoma nearly wasted a 21-point lead
but topped Utah State, 31-24, in the season-opener for both schools at
Oklahom
Ramsey, McCray among Saints' final cuts >>
Metairie, LA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Quarterback Patrick Ramsey and defensive end
Bobby McCray were among the highest-profile players released by the New Orleans
Saints on Saturday, as the defending Super Bowl champions reduced their roster
to the N
Nationals pound Pirates behind Rodriguez >>
Pittsburgh, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ivan Rodriguez hit a two-run homer and
knocked in four as the Washington Nationals thumped Pittsburgh, 9-2, in the
second of three games from PNC Park.
John Lannan (7-6) struck out seven in seven
Colts Cut 22, including OT Terry; acquire CB Tryon >>
Indianapolis, IN (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Indianapolis Colts released 22 players
including veteran tackle Adam Terry on Saturday, also acquiring cornerback
Justin Tryon via a trade with the Washington Redskins amid their "cut-down-day"
transactio
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Colts give the ‘D’ its due
The Indianapolis Colts know that winning the Super Bowl last season put a huge target on their backs, and they expect opponents to go all-out to knock them from the top of the mountain.
They’ll get their first test from the New Orleans Saints this Thursday night. The defending champs had nothing but good things to say about the New Orleans defense this past week, praising their opponents’ pass rush and run-stopping abilities.
"They play very aggressively," head coach Tony Dungy told the New Orleans Times-Picayune. "They play a lot of man-to-man coverage, and they come after you. They have good pass rushers, and they're going to try to pressure us, I'm sure."
Both center Jeff Saturday and quarterback Peyton Manning gave New Orleans’ front four props, admitting keeping guys like Will Smithand Charles Grant contained would be a tall task for the offensive line.
New Orleans ranked second in total defense during the preseason at a sportsbook, allowing just under 233 yards per game. Last season, the defense finished 11th in the league after giving up 307.3 yards and 20.1 points per contest.
Not so sound on the ground
If Indianapolis' efficient offense has a weakness it has to be its running attack. The Colts one-two-punch of Dominic Rhodes and Joseph Addai is no longer, leaving the bulk of the carries to Addai, the second-year back out of LSU.
Former Saskatchewan Roughrider Kenton Keith was named Addai’s backup this week after beating out DeDe Dorsey for the second-string position. Indy has only three backs on the roster right now, including fullback Luke Lawton, and coach Dungy is aware of the thinness of his ground game. Sports Betting lines on the game can be found at BettingExpress.com
“We’ll continue to look. Luke Lawton’s done a good job for us too. So probably getting a third true tailback is something that we’d like to do,” Dungy told the Indiana Tribune-Star.
Last season, Addai rushed for over 1,000 yards in his rookie campaign and scored seven touchdowns on the ground.
Brees says bring it on
Opening the season on the road against the defending Super Bowl champions is not the way most teams would like to kick off their year – unless you’re the New Orleans Saints or their quarterback Drew Brees. This internet Sportsbooks had the Saints as the favorites.
Brees told the New Orleans Times-Picayune that he is excited to get the regular season started and the Colts are a great challenge for him and his teammates. The 28-year-old QB, entering his second season with the Saints, is expecting a wild environment in the RCA Dome this Thursday when the franchise celebrates its 2007-2007 championship.
Brees said he sees the opening game scheduling as an honor and a testament to how well New Orleans did last season. The Saints missed facing the Colts in the Super Bowl by one game, losing to the Chicago Bearsin the NFC Championship game.
"I mean, people think we can hang with these guys," Brees told reporters. "Even if they didn't, it wouldn't matter what they thought because as a team we're very confident. We know what we can do. We're not satisfied where we finished the season last year. And we've been looking forward to this opportunity for a long time."
SportsBooks ready for a shootout
Oddsmakers are preparing for some fireworks this Thursday when the NFL season kicks off. online Sportsbooks have Thursday’s total set at a whopping 52 points, accounting for two of the league’s most explosive offenses.
“This is like must-see TV,” Saints cornerback and former Colt Jason David told the Baton Rouge Advocate. “It’s two exciting offenses with great players. You’ve got a lot of star power on offense. At any given time a big play can happen. If I was a fan, I wouldn’t miss a snap.”
New Orleans, who ranked No.1 in total offense last season, can go blow-for-blow with the Colts’ attack. Head coach Sean Payton’s offensive schemes will get even better production out of Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and receiver Marques Colston now that they’ve each had a season of playing together under their belts.
The Saints and Colts were the top two passing teams in the NFL last year, but while Indianapolis managed to put up almost 27 points per game, New Orleans struggled to capitalize on their efforts. The Saints ranked fifth in points per game.
“Yards are great,” running backDeuce McAllister told reporters, “but to be able to score more touchdowns would be important for us.”
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