NFL Football Betting

25/01/08

SportsInsights.com Tracks Which NFL Team the Public is Betting on in Super Bowl XLII

SportsInsights.com, the leading online sports betting information service, offers users unique betting trends and statistical data on Super Bowl XLII. With live online betting tools, football fans gain valuable insights from monitoring betting activity at multiple online sportsbooks.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 25, 2008 -- SportsInsights.com, the leading online sports betting information service, offers users unique betting trends and statistical data on Super Bowl XLII. With live online betting tools, football fans gain valuable insights from monitoring betting activity at multiple online sportsbooks.

Daniel Fabrizio, founder of SportsInsights.com states, "The flood gate has been opened and the public is pounding the New York Giants. The sports books we track are reporting over 65 percent of the bets placed on Super Bowl XLII are coming in on the Giants, but value-minded sports bettors should consider taking New England Patriots -12. The most accurate gauge of public opinion in any sporting event is the sports betting market. The Super Bowl presents a great opportunity for value-minded sports investors. Odds makers rely heavily on number crunching and power ratings when setting a line, but they also weigh in public opinion. As public interest increases, it becomes a factor in setting the line. The culmination of this trend is the Super Bowl, which is the most wagered sporting event of the year. A sports book's handle will quadruple on Super Sunday, primarily fueled by first time bettors. For value-minded sports investors, this massive influx of 'public' or 'dumb' money represents opportunity. Sports Insights believes the sportsbooks have shaded the line 2 points towards the New York Giants. The public money will continue to push this line another half to full point before kick-off. All our value indicators are pointing towards New England."

Daniel is a respected industry leader in sports gaming. SportsInsights.com was birthed from his desire to provide sports fans a resource to betting information that is unfiltered, independent and accurate. He has earned the respect of leading online sports books and sports fans in his efforts to break down the barriers to winning in the sports betting marketplace. As a result, SportsInsights.com has become one of the top websites for accurate, real-time sports betting information.

For more information about Sports Insights, statistical data and online betting tools, please visit http://www.SportsInsights.com.

About Sports Insights
Founded in 1997, SportsInsights.com is a statistical content site that tracks betting activity at major sports books. SportsInsights.com's unique content and live betting statistics have propelled it to the forefront of the competitive world of sports information. SportsInsights.com uses pioneering betting charts to track the percentage of bets and money placed on every major sporting event. SportsInsights.com is not a sports book or a betting/trading exchange site, but has agreements with multiple online sports books. All information comes directly from online sports books and represents actual bets placed at the contributing sports books.

04/01/08

Can any AFC team defeat the Patriots?

BIG SWORD NEEDED TO SLAY THIS DRAGON

Daniel Brown

Mercury News

Article Launched: 01/02/2008 01:57:04 AM PST

Can anybody in the AFC keep pace with New England?

Sure, just as long as it's a combined effort. Take the Jaguars' running game, the Steelers' defense, the Colts' quarterback and - voila! - the Patriots might win by only two touchdowns!

Oddsmakers have recognized just how predictable these playoffs could be, listing the Patriots as 1-to-4 favorites to win the Super Bowl.

It would be like betting on Fred Astaire to win "Dancing With the Stars."

By comparison, the Pittsburgh Steelers - no slouches as a No. 4 seed featuring the NFL's top-rated defense - are listed as a 40-to-1 shot.

That's how stacked the deck can look when a team goes 16-0 and scores an NFL-record 589 points.

The Patriots beat all comers by an average score of 37-17. In six games against teams that wound up in the playoffs this season, the average score was Patriots 39, Pretender 20.

"Hats off to us," Patriots receiver Randy Moss said after the season finale. "In this game of football, it's hard to go 16-0. As a football player and a fan of the game, my hat's off to this organization."

There were, however, also rare occasions when New England looked vulnerable - even temporarily - which provides a few clues for the AFC opponents hoping to slay the dragon.

The Philadelphia Eagles put up a fight Nov. 25 when defensive coordinator Jim Johnson utilized a combination of three- and four-man fronts and blitzing creatively. This game plan did the impossible - it knocked Tom Brady out of rhythm and minimized the impact of Moss.
The Baltimore Ravens also unleashed a wide array of blitzes in a 27-24 defeat the next week. And the Ravens' offense helped keep Brady and Co. off the field by pounding away with a no-nonsense running game, with Willis McGahee rushing for 138 yards in 30 carries.

In the end, of course, neither game plan mattered. New England figured it out on both occasions in time to yell "checkmate."

"You're not going to fool Tom Brady, that's all there is to it," Patriots receiver Wes Welker said after catching 13 passes in the Eagles game. "As much as you try, it's not going to happen. Tom is simply too good and too smart - and that's the bottom line."

But for those who need to dream, here is a primer on where to hang your hopes:

No. 2 seed: Indianapolis

Offense: Fifth overall (sixth pass, eighth rush).

Defense: Third overall (second pass, 15th rush).

Last meeting with Patriots: 24-20 defeat at Indianapolis on Nov. 4.

Dragon-Slayer factor: The Colts' best asset is that they won't be intimidated, having won in Foxboro twice since 2005 and having defeated the Pats in last season's AFC title game. In their loss to New England this season, the Colts carved a 10-point fourth-quarter lead even though they lacked receiver Marvin Harrison (knee bruise). Rookie receiver Anthony Gonzalez developed a rapport with Peyton Manning in Harrison's absence, giving the Colts yet another weapon to keep pace with the Pats.

Harrison has been sidelined for 11 of the past 12 games, but Coach Tony Dungy has no fears about rust when the receiver returns for the postseason.

"This is not a first- or second-year guy we're dealing with. He's a Hall of Famer who's caught almost a thousand balls from Peyton Manning," Dungy said Sunday.

No. 3 seed: San Diego

Offense: 20th (26th pass, seventh rush).

Defense: 14th (14th pass, 16th rush).

Last meeting with Patriots: 38-14 defeat at New England on Sept. 16.

Dragon-Slayer factor: After a slow start, the Chargers regained their swagger by going 6-0 down the stretch and racking up 30.5 points per game. San Diego has not won a playoff game since going to the Super Bowl after the 1994 season but seems to be peaking at the right time. San Diego has been playing mistake-free, with an NFL-best plus-24 turnover ratio, which is an essential ingredient against New England. "We have the tools in the locker room to beat any team," defensive lineman Igor Olshansky said. Lack of offensive balance could hurt them: running back LaDainian Tomlinson is as dynamic as ever, but the Chargers completed only 117 passes to wide receivers, the lowest total in the NFL.

No. 4 Seed: Pittsburgh

Offense: 17th (22nd pass, third rush).

Defense: First (third pass, third rush).

Last meeting with Patriots: 34-13 defeat at New England on Dec. 9.

Dragon-Slayer factor: The Steelers won the Super Bowl as a wild card two years ago, so this route looks like Easy Street by comparison. If he gets the chance, defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is one of the few minds brilliant enough to match wits with Brady and Co. He loves the zone blitz coming off multiple looks. The Steelers allowed just 219 yards per game this season, the best since Miami's 212 in 2002. Pittsburgh lost a major force when running back Willie Parker broke his leg, but quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would not be afraid to shoot it out with the Patriots. His 104.1 rating trailed only Brady (117.2) among NFL passers. The offensive line, however, must rely on third-stringer Trai Essex at left tackle.

No. 5 Seed: Jacksonville

Offense: Seventh (17th pass, second rush).

Defense: 12th (15th pass, 11th rush).

Last meeting with Patriots: 24-21 defeat at Jacksonville on Dec. 24, 2006.

Dragon-Slayer factor: Might have the right recipe for defusing New England if the Jaguars get past the Steelers. The run-oriented Jaguars can bully their way toward big point totals, having scored at least three touchdowns in a team-record 10 consecutive games.

Rejuvenated running back Fred Taylor finished the season with five consecutive 100-yard games; he and running back Maurice Jones-Drew could help chew up the clock and keep the Patriots off the field. Jacksonville can also strike quickly if it needs to, ranking in the NFL's top 10 for plays of 20 yards or longer. On defense, the Jaguars held 10 opponents to 17 points or fewer (same as New England).

No. 6 Seed: Tennessee

Offense: 21st (27th pass, fifth rush).

Defense: Fifth (10th pass, fifth rush).

Last meeting with Patriots: 40-23 defeat at Nashville on Dec. 31, 2006.

Dragon-Slayer factor: Fortunately for the Titans, they are not overly reliant on their most famous name, quarterback Vince Young, whose playing status is in jeopardy because of a strained right quadriceps. The Titans' nine touchdown passes are the fewest by any playoff team since 1978. Moreover, Young has struggled against 3-4 defenses such as the Patriots', so going to the more experienced Kerry Collins wouldn't be a huge setback. The key for the Titans is the defense, anchored by end Kyle Vanden Bosch and tackle Albert Haynesworth. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is not afraid of the overload blitz.

As another plus, Tennessee has been in playoff mode for a while, winning four of the past five to squeak in a last-second berth.

"The key here is not to all of a sudden take a deep breath, throw your arms up in the air and say, 'We made it,' " Coach Jeff Fisher said. "We made it, now we need to do something about it."

18/12/07

Grudge match: Jets, Pats can't shake off rivalry

By Tom Pedulla, USA TODAY

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - When New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick and New York Jets counterpart Eric Mangini meet at the end of Sunday's game at Gillette Stadium, it may be the handshake that shakes the NFL.

A rivalry based on proximity when the Boston Patriots first played the New York Titans as part of the old American Football League at New York's Polo Grounds in 1960 has escalated into a clash fueled by enmity.

"The last 10 years has really been the zenith of this rivalry," former Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason says, "and Sunday it will be at its highest point because of what went on in Week 1."

A decade-long series of incidents boiled over during New England's season-opening 38-14 win that started the Patriots on a run that has them one victory from joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only 14-0 teams in league history.

10/12/07

Miami Dolphins vs Buffalo Bills Betting Preview

Kris Lazaro, expert football handicapper from NFLSystems.com, has made a prediction on this game.

The hapless Miami Dolphins head into a cold Buffalo Bills stadium this Sunday as the lone winless NFL team this season. Oddsmakers have given Miami a touchdown handicap, but according to this author, Miami has mailed it in for the season.

Miami is as pathetic as a professional team can be. The players have given up and bettors need to take heed if they plan on backing such a team. As written in previous articles, there is a fundamental deficiency in this team, and the author predicts things will not get any better in Buffalo. They are 0-12 for the season and 3-6-3 against the number. Miami has a good chance of going winless this season as their last 3 games are against the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, and the Cincinnati Bengals. With respect to this game, the Dolphins are 2-7-1 against the Bills with respect to the spread.

04/11/07

Bettman made right call on Tocchet

Sunday, November 4, 2007

I thought for sure Rick Tocchet would be standing behind the bench for the Phoenix Coyotes this weekend, alongside his loyal friend and head coach Wayne Gretzky, raising his hand to acknowledge the cheers for his long-awaited return to the NHL.

I thought for sure Tocchet would work hard to regain his credibility and become a head coach in the NHL some day, perhaps in Phoenix, Pittsburgh or Philadelphia.

Now I'm not so sure. Not after hearing everything I heard on Thursday when Gary Bettman extended Tocchet's NHL leave of absence until Feb. 7, 2008.

If Bettman was convinced Tocchet had turned the page on his life as a gambler, he would have reinstated him as associate coach of the Coyotes. But he's not convinced, and neither am I.

Between May 25, when he pleaded guilty to conspiracy and promoting gambling, and Aug. 17, when he was sentenced to two years probation in exchange for his plea, Tocchet caught a flight to Las Vegas and competed in the World Series of Poker.

This after being told by Bettman that any type of gambling, legal or not, would be in violation of his NHL suspension terms.

Tocchet also violated another of Bettman's conditions by remaining in contact with several members of the NHL community, although with 23 years in hockey it would be foolish to think Tocchet could sever all ties with former teammates and coaches.

Don't be fooled. It's the gambling that has Bettman worried. Tocchet has not been paid by the Coyotes since February of 2006. He will not collect his next paycheck from the club until February of 2008, at the earliest.

Yet in those two years without pay, Tocchet still found a way to place bets, if not at a card table in Vegas, then possibly through friends or legal bookmakers. I don't profess to be an expert on addictions, but if I lost my job for two years because of doing an illegal activity, I'm pretty sure I'd find a way to stop if it meant saving my career. And if I couldn't, I'd find someone who could help.

That's why Bettman altered his conditions to allow Tocchet back into the NHL. That's why he made it clear to Tocchet that he will be reinstated only if he refrains from placing a single bet on anything from NFL football to high school badminton AND he enrolls himself in the NHL Substance Abuse and Behavioral Health program.

"Whether you view Mr. Tocchet's two-year punishment as too light, too severe or just right," Bettman said, "the fact of the matter is he has paid an extremely high price for conduct which was highly inappropriate and illegal."

Bettman's ultimate responsibility is to protect the integrity of the NHL.

And he could not, in good conscience, reinstate Tocchet if he knew he was still betting on sporting events. People closest to Tocchet describe him as being extremely loyal with a strong sense of character.

Those qualities made him a good player, a great teammate and an excellent coach. But until he grasps the importance of giving up gambling of any sort, Tocchet's ban from the NHL will continue. Bettman made the right call on this one, and if Tocchet heeds his advice, he'll be a head coach in the NHL someday.

Just not today.

Stirring up a rivalry: It's been 19 years since the Flyers and Canadiens faced each other in a playoff series, so there hasn't been much of a reason for fans in Montreal to work up some hate for the men in orange and black.

Now they have a reason. Danny Briere spurned the Canadiens' offers to sign him to a six-year contract over the summer and the fans of Montreal showed their disdain for Briere Thursday night by booing him every time he touched the puck.

Marty Biron said Briere's treatment is nothing compared to the abuse players took when the Quebec Nordiques and Montreal Canadiens faced each other in the early 1990s.

Biron grew up in St. Lac Charles, Quebec, and was a diehard Nordiques fan.

"I painted my face blue and white and sat in the nose bleeds of Le Colisee with my buddies," he said. "We would just go nuts."

The rivalry between the Habs and Nords ran deep, Biron said, and was politically motivated.

"It was much more than just hockey," he recalled. "It was the two cities.

"Quebec has always been known as the biggest suburb of Montreal. People in Montreal called Quebec "the little village at the end of the highway' and it kind of insulted people in Quebec City."

Biron said his father, a dyed-in-the-wool Nordiques fan, would place bets with co-workers during playoff series between the Canadiens and Nordiques.

"It wasn't just 20 bucks," Biron said. "If the Nordiques won, my dad would wear a Nordiques jersey and his buddy would wear a Canadiens jersey and they'd have a picture taken with my dad on top of him. It was pretty nasty stuff."

Biron said the rivalry between the two cities eventually turned into a beer war. Since the Canadiens were owned by the Molson brewers and the Nordiques were owned by O'Keefe's, fans from each city would refuse to drink the other's beer.

"That's what made the rivalry so crazy," Biron said. "Even the jerseys told the story. It was the blue separatists of Quebec against the red Canadiens that represented Montreal. It was much more than just hockey."

Fatherly advice: Later this month the Flyers will invite players' fathers to join them on a three-day road trip to Carolina, where they'll have dinners together, play a round of golf and swap stories about their sons.

"I think it's great," said Flyers coach John Stevens. "I think it will be a thrill for a lot of these fathers to spend a couple days with their sons who have done so well. I'm sure they are a big reason for that, carting their sons around hockey rinks and affording them the chance to become hockey players."

Chuck's pucks: It's only been a month of hockey, but it's crystal clear the Flyers made the right call in making Jason Smith a captain and Mike Richards an alternate captain.

In back-to-back games both proved just how tough a warrior they are. Smith took a stick in the face in the third period of Thursday night's loss in Montreal, but refused to retreat to the dressing room for stitches.

He never missed a shift and played with blood stains on his face and jersey.

The next night in Washington, Richards carried the Flyers on his back. After falling behind 1-0 and seeing his team thoroughly outplayed, the 5-11, 195-pound center sent a message by dropping the gloves with 6-2, 205-pounder Brooks Laich.

Richards was a willing combatant, but needed 12 stitches to close up a gash on his forehead before returning to score the go-ahead goal in the second period, finishing off a 2-on-1 with Joffrey Lupul late in the second period.

"Richie was tremendous, he had all kinds of energy," Stevens said. "He comes back after getting stitched up and more energized than before."

Reach Chuck Gormley at cgormley@courierpostonline.com

29/10/07

Dolphins are a scary look

By GREG COTE
gcote@MiamiHerald.com

LONDON -- I know it's still a couple of days away, but I'm trying to figure out what to go trick-or-treating as this year for Halloween. I have in mind an outfit so ghastly that people look away in disgust. So I think I'm going to dress up as the 2007 Dolphins.

- Oooh that's MEAN! But I figure if former Dolphin players are allowed to call the team embarrassing and pathetic, I can make a harmless lil' Halloween joke.

- Miami linebacker Channing Crowder caused a mild stir over here in London with his in-jest comment that he couldn't find England on a map. Well, Chan, based on the Dolphins' most recent loss, 49-27 a week ago, evidently you couldn't find New England on a map, either.

- Probably the biggest difference between British football (soccer) and American football is that players in the NFL are allowed to use their hands. Aside to Cam Cameron: Please remind your receivers of that.

- Bulletin. Scandal engulfs London NFL game! Random Evidence has learned the 26-foot animatronic Jason Taylor has been implicated in an investigation into the use of Inhuman Growth Hormone.

- To say the British papers don't cover the NFL very well is putting it mildly. I tried to find a Giants injury report Saturday and one of the local rags had Y.A. Tittle as questionable.

- A published report indicated the Dolphins have offered to pay airfare and hotel for celebrities to attend games in order to raise the profile of the club. Based on what I've seen of the Dolphins lately, they'd be better off paying celebrities to play cornerback and safety.

- Switching sports, nice job by Colorado's Matt Holliday getting picked off first base in the eighth inning as the potential tying run in Boston's 2-1 Game 2 World Series victory Thursday night. Many Sox fans skipped work Friday, declaring it a National Holliday.

- Boston had won easily in Game 1. The Rockies complained of too much rest. Maybe too much rust. I'd say it was too much Beckett.

- The FBI was investigating an ''external, malicious attack'' that hampered Rockies ticket sales for the Series. Based on the first two games, I'd say the external, malicious attack was by Boston.

- Switching to the Heat, I like the trade with Minnesota -- essentially Antoine Walker for Ricky Davis. But, didn't Davis play for Pat Riley here once before? Still trying to figure out how Davis now, older, is better than he was when Riley dumped him the first time.

- Can Shaq stay healthy? Will Dwyane Wade get healthy? Might Riley walk away again? Will Davis be the elusive third scoring option? Otherwise? No questions.

- Not saying the Heat has some age on its roster -- ME!? -- but I hear a new club initiative will allow retiring players to segue directly from the active roster onto the ''Golden Oldies'' dance troupe.

- The 2007-08 Miami Heat Dancers had what the club called an ''unveiling'' Friday night at Cameo nightclub on South Beach. From what I've seen of the dancers' outfits, they'll have another 41 unveilings during the regular season.

- NBA commissioner David Stern has relaxed the rules on his referees gambling. They now are allowed to enter legal casinos and play state lotteries. One rule that remains adamant, though: Do not call your bookie during play!

- FSU has hired as its interim athletic director state Rep. Bill Proctor, 74. Proctor immediately proposed state legislation making it illegal to say Bobby Bowden is too old.

- Arizona State entered the weekend 7-0 and No. 4 under first-year coach Dennis Erickson. Who says recycling doesn't work?

- North Carolina and UCLA are 1-2 in the first preseason men's college basketball poll. Due to an apparent computer glitch, Miami is not ranked.

- In tennis, the ATP has fined highly ranked Russian Nikolay Davydenko -- already the subject of a betting investigation -- $2,000 for ''lack of best effort'' in a match. Officials became concerned when Davydenko was seen text-messaging during points.

- As you know, the Miami Hurricanes are off this week, but Florida-Georgia in Jacksonville was one of the weekend's big attractions in college football. It was ''The World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party.'' Until the following Saturday. And then the one after that.

- Will the last IRL or Champ Car star to jump to NASCAR please turn out the light on open-wheel racing?

- I love Frank Caliendo. Funny. His John Madden is a riot. But I've seen so many of those promo ads for his new show I'm already tired of him.

- First NASCAR drops Winston and Busch as title sponsors. Now they're letting in all these foreign stars like Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti and Jacques Villeneuve. Geez! Much more of this and any self-respecting, Confederate flag-waving redneck may have to go find himself a new sport!

- New York Post reported Michael Vick has bought a place in the Icon, a South Beach high-rise. My question: Who let the dog in?

- Parting thought: Here's how bad it has gotten for the Dolphins. In the past week or so Miami has lost starting quarterback Trent Green for the season, traded best receiver Chris Chambers, lost star running back Ronnie Brown, and seen defensive stalwart Zach Thomas sidelined due to whiplash from a fender-bender. That's not even counting the two safeties who were carried off by prehistoric pterodactyls and the defensive linemen who died of natural causes.

16/10/07

Pack football: Tall order awaits Kaepernick and Nevada

DAN HINXMAN

RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL

Posted: 10/14/2007

BOISE, Idaho -- Boise State head football coach Chris Petersen only speaks with the media twice -- following games and on Mondays.

The Broncos played a Sunday night game last week, so when Petersen was asked Monday morning what he thought of Nevada's new starting quarterback Colin Kaepernick, he had no opinion.

He hadn't seen the tape of the Wolf Pack's 49-41 loss to Fresno State on Oct. 6 yet.

Too bad.

It would have been interesting to hear Petersen's thoughts on the Pack's 6-foot-6 redshirt freshman, who took over when starter Nick Graziano tore a tendon in his foot against Fresno State and was lost for the season.

Kaepernick completed 24-of-36 passes for 384 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. He also ran 12 times for 60 yards and another score.

"I know he played in the Fresno game," said Petersen, whose Broncos host the Pack at 5 p.m. today in an ESPN-televised game. "We kind of defend schemes (more so than players), it's what we do. I know he runs well and does all types of things. Nevada's still going to do what they do. Maybe they'll emphasize some stuff with him."

Kaepernick, with his strong arm, height and sprinter-like speed, is certainly a different type of quarterback. And what he was able to do against Fresno State showed how difficult it can be to defend him.

"Kap's got the ability to take a bad play and make it good, and that's just through athleticism," Nevada offensive coordinator Chris Klenakis said.

He is also making his first career start against far and away the best defensive team in the Western Athletic Conference last season, and is so again this season. The Broncos (4-1, 1-0) are allow an average of 12.2 points per game, nearly half that of the second-best scoring defense in the WAC (Hawaii, 21.8).

"It's a tough situation," said Chris Ault, coach at Nevada (2-3, 0-1). "Three quarters isn't enough for anybody."

Kaepernick, of course, said he's ready.

"I'm definitely not afraid of it," said Kaepernick, who battled for the starting job with Graziano during fall camp. "I've been ready to play. I've prepared myself like I was going to play. Things just didn't work out in the beginning of the season. It's a shame things happened the way they did, but I'm going to prepare myself and get this team ready.

"It's going to be a big game for us. We've got to get back in the conference race to win a WAC championship."

The Broncos will face their second straight backup quarterback. They knocked New Mexico State's Chase Holbrook out of the game in the first series of a 58-0 victory in Boise last Sunday.

"Any time you've got a new guy in there you want to go after him," Boise State linebacker Kyle Gingg said. "We're always trying to get after the quarterback. I'm sure we're going to go in there and try to hit him just like we hit this guy the last game."

The Broncos lost three of the top defensive players in the WAC last season in linebackers Korey Hall and Colt Brooks and tackle Andrew Browning, but they don't appear to have missed a step.

"If you were to tell me they lost a lot of guys on defense, and then I turn the film on, I don't know. They look like the same defense they've had year after year after year," Kleankis said. "They're consistent, they play hard. Most impressive is they don't make mistakes."

Offense isn't Ault's biggest concern, however.

The Wolf Pack gave up three long touchdown runs and two special teams touchdowns (punt return and blocked field goal) in the loss to Fresno State.

"I haven't had a defense play that poorly in a long, long while," Ault said. "Just our fundamentals, our alignment, our tackling, our lack of energy were just an amazing sight for me."

The timing couldn't be worse. The five-time defending WAC champion Broncos, winners of 40 of their last 41 WAC games, have been noticeably better on offense in the last three games, victories over Wyoming, Southern Miss and New Mexico State by a combined score of 120-30.

The key has been senior quarterback Taylor Tharp, a first-year starter.

It took him a couple games to get comfortable -- including a three-interception performance in a 24-10 loss at Washington, the Broncos' only away game out of their first six -- but he has been accurate and consistent since.

Boise State also lost its top three pass catchers to the NFL last season, but Chris Childs and true freshman Titus Young are getting a lot of praise from their coaches for their efforts early this season.

And, of course, they still have arguably the best offensive line in the WAC and running back Ian Johnson, who was the darling of the Broncos' Fiesta Bowl win over Oklahoma last season. Johnson has 101 carries for 488 yards and seven touchdowns this season, and he and backup running back Jeremy Avery are averaging a combined 5.6 yards per carry.

"They're the hardest team to prepare for because they're so multiple," Nevada defensive coordinator Ken Wilson said "They can go to multiple tight ends, they can go to no tight ends, they can go to empty (backfield). Their quarterback is very efficient. They've got running backs that are very good."

As dangerous as the Bronco offense is, however, the Pack defense, last in the nation in run defense at 268 yards per game, must first take care of itself.

"We just didn't play our game (against Fresno State)," junior linebacker Joshua Mauga said Monday. "We've just got to work on coming together as a team. We've got to come in this week and have a whole new focus and forget about Saturday, just work on our own mistakes and hopefully compete with these guys on Sunday."