SPORTS N STUFF

Houstons sports betting chances arent completely down the drain, but not having their starter under center is a huge blow for the Texans as they prepare to host Atlanta, who are starting to pick up momentum and they should be able to turn Houston into a passing team, which normally would work in the Texans favor.

What: NFL Betting
When: Sunday, December 4th, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Reliant Stadium, Houston, TX
Pick: Atlanta Falcons -3

Why Bet On Atlanta Falcons (7-4 SU, 4-5-2 ATS)

The Falcons jumped out to a 17-0 first-half lead and rolled to a 24-14 win over Minnesota at home, and Matt Ryan is starting to heat up as he went 27-of-34 for 262 yards and three touchdowns; if Atlanta is going to make noise in the NFC, Ryan has to move to the next level from being a very good quarterback to a Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees-level. Roddy White had 10 catches for 120 yards and a score, while Tony Gonzalez added nine receptions for 69 yards for the Falcons, who eased rookie receiver Julio Jones back into the lineup and even though his hamstring looks fine, he definitely was rusty after a few games out. The defense stepped up with four sacks and they held the Vikings to 226 yards of offense; Minnesota was without Adrian Peterson and they have a rookie pivot in Christian Ponder, but the Falcons still had to execute and they did a good job against the Vikings.

As for injury worries, linebacker Stephan Nicholas (shoulder) and cornerback Brent Grimes (knee) are in danger of missing this game, and Atlantas NFL betting odds this week will depend on their ability to stop the run and theyre second in the league in run defense as they take on an excellent Houston ground game. Houston has had some injuries at quarterback and the Falcons can force them to be a passing team, although they still have to watch out for Andre Johnson out wide. Atlanta has won two in a row now and they need another victory to keep pace with a red-hot New Orleans team in the NFC South.

Why Bet On Houston Texans (8-3 SU, 8-3 ATS)

The post-Matt Schaub portion of 2011 ended with a 20-13 victory in Jacksonville, but the Texans are now down to their third-string quarterback after Matt Leinart went 10-of-13 for 57 yards and a score, and then he broke his collarbone. T.J. Yates was 8-of-15 for 70 yards as the Jaguars stacked the box to stop Houstons No.3-ranked rushing attack, which picked up 88 yards. The Texans picked up just nine first downs and were 2-of-15 on third down, and Houston has to figure out how to move the chains in light of their quarterback problems. Defensively, the Texans held the Jaguars in check with 255 yards, but they gave Jacksonville three first downs because of penalties and they cant afford to do that now. A healthy pass rush definitely sparked the Texans as they registered seven sacks, including four by Connor Barwin and the next few weeks are going to be a big test for Houstons No.1-ranked defense, which has been overshadowed by the offense this season. Theyre going to have to keep the Texans above water until they figure out what theyre going to do under center.

Schaub (foot) and Leinart (collarbone) are gone for the season, and even though Yates is the starter right now, reports say that the Texans have brought, or are bringing in, Jake Delhomme and Jeff Garcia for workouts this week. Chances are, even if they sign one of those options, Yates should be under center for this week, at least. Houston has a two-game lead over Tennessee in the AFC South, and they dont need a Matt Ryan, or even a Matt Schaub or a Matt Leinart as their quarterback; the Texans can run the ball and their defense is playing as well as anyone in the league, but they need a pivot who will keep the opposition honest so they can get their rushing attack going.

How It Will Play Out

The Falcons are a 3-point favorite on the road in Houston, where they are 0-1 SU and ATS in their lone meeting, a 17-13 win for the Texans in 2003 when Atlanta was a 3-point underdog. You have to give the Falcons the edge in this one as the Texans have a rookie at quarterback, and while a couple of first-year players have thrived under center this season, those ones (Cam Newton, Andy Dalton) have been taking first-string reps all season and Yates probably hasnt even taken second-string reps.

Look for Atlanta to shut down Houstons running game and force a couple of mistakes out of the Texans, whose defense will keep them in it, but there is just too much uncertainty at quarterback to take the home team. Go with Atlanta to cover the online betting spread on the road.

Falcons Texans Betting Pick: Atlanta Falcons

sports betting players have a big card to look forward to in Toronto for UFC 140 as the larger weight classes are in the spotlight, and in the heavyweight division, Frank Mir will take on Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the second meeting between these two warriors. This is going to be a war for the ages as both men look to move up the ladder at heavyweight, and were picking the winner of the first to go and take the second meeting as well.

What: UFC Betting
When: Saturday, December 10th, 9:00 PM ET (PPV card starts)
Where: Air Canada Center, Toronto, ON
Pick: Frank Mir -260

Why Bet On Frank Mir (15-5)

When you talk about the biggest fighters in the UFC, whether literally or figuratively, its easy to forget about Mir, but his list of accomplishments should earn him some consideration when it comes to the greats of the company, and maybe even the Hall of Fame if he can win the title again. Mir has won both the heavyweight and interim heavyweight titles, and the fact that he came all the way back from a motorcycle accident that almost killed him in 2004 says volumes about his toughness. Mir is a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, along with a black belt in kenpo karate, eight of his wins have come via submission and he may have the best ground game of any heavyweight in the world. That isnt to say that Mir doesnt have knockout power; just ask Nogueira, who suffered a TKO in the first meeting at UFC 92 in December 2008.

Mir has won his last two fights, a KO of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic and a unanimous decision over Roy Nelson, and he knows another win over “Big Nog” will put him in the mix for a title shot. But Mirs UFC betting odds depend heavily on his chin and his ability to take a punch; all five of his losses have come via knockout. Itll be interesting to see if his opponent tries to take him to the mat as Mirs takedown defense is a little suspect. Finally, in the first fight, Mir may have surprised Nogueira with his improved boxing and striking; can he do it again in Toronto?

Why Bet On Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (33-6-1, 1 NC)

“Big Nog” may not have been in danger of being cut from the UFC heading into his last match against Brandon Schaub, but he didnt hurt his cause to stay in the promotion with a KO of the highly-touted up-and-comer in Brazil, his home country, back in August. He is one of three men to hold titles in Pride and the UFC, and he has been through some wars over his career. We said Mir has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and hes excellent, but Nogueiras experience may give him the edge; his BJJ is so good that he taught pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva and gave the middleweight champ his black belt. He showed the boxing that we were used to see from him against Schaub, which was encouraging because we didnt see it against Cain Velasquez, who rolled through Nogueira on his way to the title, which he has since lost to Junior Dos Santos. Velasquez badly outclassed Nogueira standing up, which is something that no one saw coming, but it appears as though Nogueira went back to the lab and really worked on his technique, which he would love to show off against Mir.

Nogueiras top attributes were his chin and his stamina, but the chin has come into question as he has been stopped in two of his last four fights, and even though he took some strong punches in a win over Randy Couture in August 2009, Couture was well past his prime and that was two years ago. Mir has much more power than Couture did, which Nogueira felt in 2008. As for the stamina, “Minotauro” has gone the distance just once in his last five fights and again, that was against an older Couture. Mir is going to push the issue throughout the fight and this will be a strong test for Nogueira.

How It Will Play Out

UFC betting odds have Mir as a -260 favorite in this heavyweight affair, while Nogueira is rated at +220 in this rematch, and there is nothing on the line in this fight, unlike the first bout where Mir took the interim heavyweight title from Nogueira. Mir has been impressive in his last two fights, while many were counting Nogueira out heading into his clash with Schaub, but this fight is going to be much closer than you think.

It would be great if this went to the mat because we would get to see two real heavyweights show that the big guys have technique and arent just aiming to knock your head off. Both are excellent on the mat, and were sure Nogueira wont underestimate Mirs punching power anymore. This is going to be a test of wills and even though Nogueira may not be finished yet, a slight edge goes to Mir for having less wear and tear on his body and he has a little more momentum. In a fight that could overshadow the light-heavyweight championship tilt between Jon Jones and Lyoto Machida, take Frank Mir in your sports betting book.

UFC 140 Betting Pick: Frank Mir

TIME: 08:20 P.M. EST
VENUE: CenturyLink Field

A year ago, the Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks made it to the playoffs as division winners.

It will take a miracle for either to get back.

The Eagles and Seahawks meet Thursday night in Seattle with the loser moving even closer to becoming mathematically eliminated from playoff contention.

Philadelphia and Seattle are both 4-7, but the Eagles have easily been a bigger disappointment.

Nicknamed the Dream Team after acquiring defenders Nnamdi Asomugha, Cullen Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Jason Babin to go with their explosive offense, the Eagles already have more losses than last seasons 10-6 NFC East-winning team after giving up a season-high 457 yards in Sundays 38-20 loss to New England.

“You couldnt even dream that record for this team with the talent we have,” receiver DeSean Jackson said.

Philadelphia – which will again be without Michael Vick – still has a slim shot at a playoff berth, trailing division-leading Dallas and the NFCs wild-card leaders by three games.

With five games to go, though, thats looking increasingly unlikely.

“These last five games? I think theyll show the character,” rookie center Jason Kelce said. “Whenever youre facing adversity, or whenever youre put in a situation where its tough, you dont know what the outcome is going to be for the year and everything else. I think true character. Everybody can play when youre up and when things are going well, but when youre backed into a corner, when youre down, thats when true character shows.”

The Seahawks, who at 7-9 last season became the first team with a losing record to win a division title since the 1970 merger, werent expected to make a Super Bowl run like the Eagles, but their season has still been discouraging.

Seattle, which will be eliminated from defending its NFC West crown with a loss, appeared to at least have a chance to get back into the playoff picture Sunday, leading Washington 17-7 with 10 minutes remaining. It had minus-nine yards of offense on its final four possessions, however, and lost 23-17.

“We just didnt finish the game,” running back Leon Washington said. “You have to play four quarters and when you commit a lot of penalties, dont make plays when you have to, thats what happens.”

The Seahawks, who lost to Philadelphia 26-7 in the last meeting in 2008, have been their own worst enemy lately, committing an NFL-worst 56 penalties in five games since Week 8.

“It just comes back to discipline. Weve just got to be more disciplined,” safety Kam Chancellor said. “We got to start at practice. We get penalties in practice and it shows in the game. So we just got to start at practice and be penalty-free in practice so it can carry over to the game.”

Penalties have also been an area of concern for the Eagles – they committed 10 on Sunday.

Vince Young will get a third straight start as Vick sits again because of broken ribs. Young threw for a career-best 400 yards against the Patriots, though much of that came late when the game was already decided.

Young would certainly benefit if Jackson stepped up and made some plays.

Jackson dropped three passes Sunday, including two that likely would have been touchdowns, and shied away from contact before being benched in the fourth quarter. He vowed he would bounce back against the Seahawks.

The Eagles better hope so, because theyre in desperate need of playmakers. Receiver Jeremy Maclin (hamstring) will miss his third straight game and Rodgers-Cromartie (ankle) is also out, while Asomugha (knee) and running back LeSean McCoy (toe) are questionable.

Even if Asomugha cant go, Philadelphias defense should fare a bit better against Seattle after being carved up by Tom Brady and the Patriots. The Seahawks are 30th in the league in total offense (294.1 yards per game) and are averaging 15.2 points in their last six contests.

With Tarvaris Jackson accounting for three touchdowns and seven interceptions in the last five games, Seattles offense leans heavily on Marshawn Lynch. He ran for 111 yards Sunday, and is averaging an NFL-best 110.8 rushing yards in four November games.

McCoy leads the league in rushing with 1,050 yards, but with 10 carries Sunday, he didnt get much of an opportunity.

“We have a lot of great players on this team and its hard to see us lose,” defensive end Trent Cole said. “We know what kind of talent we have, so we have to pull together. Its hard. Were not going to bow our heads, were going to keep them up and keep moving forward, go make plays and go win ball games.”

CBSSports.com If Dale Hunter needs a role model as a new coach trying to make the Washington Capitals play better defense and with more confidence, all he has to do is study Ken Hitchcock and the St. Louis Blues.

Hunters NHL coaching debut was spoiled Tuesday night by the stingiest defense in the league. Hitchcocks Blues were a shutdown machine once again, limiting Alexander Ovechkin to one shot on goal Tuesday in a 2-1 victory.

“We didnt give up anything in two periods,” said Hitchcock, who is 8-1-2 since taking over from Davis Payne on Nov. 7. “Were starting to dial in the way we need to play to win hockey games. When you play this well, its a good feeling.”

T.J. Oshie and Matt DAgostini scored, and Jaroslav Halak made 18 saves for the Blues, who have allowed only 13 goals in Hitchcocks 11 games.

“The first three games, everyones playing in front of a new coach, youre trying to make a good first impression,” Oshie said. “Everyones playing hard, and it seems like we havent taken our foot off the gas since then.”

Sounds like a perfect blueprint for the Capitals, who were in a tailspin when Bruce Boudreau was fired on Monday and replaced by former team captain Hunt he spent the la Hunter got a better defensive effort from the Capitals but not much offensive spark. Washington was outplayed until desperation time in the third period, but at least it didnt suffer the odd-man rushes in the uninspired routs of Boudreaus last days.

“You cant set a timeframe to it,” Hunter said, “but I want them to get better and better every game. … By watching them live now, weve got some stuff to work on.”

Nicklas Backstrom got the lone goal for the Capitals, and Washington was outshot 30-19. Two stars who bore the brunt of Boudreaus more disciplinarian ways in recent weeks failed to get untracked in the new regimes debut. Ovechkin supplied the assist on Backstroms first-period goal, but the two-time league MVPs only shot on goal came with 18:14 to play, and of both Alexander Semins shots came in the third period.

Hunter and the players said the defense was the first priority. The offense will come around eventually.

“We did what he ask us to do,” said Ovechkin, who has only one goal in his last nine games, “and I think if we [are] going to play the same way, we [are] going t and a lime green tie before the game and a red one during the game, Hunter took his spot behind the bench to cheers from Capitals fans who watched him play for the franchise from 1987-99 and can look up anytime to the rafters to see the banner featuring his retired No. 32 jersey. The teams production staff put together slick videos with the themes “History welcomes you back, Coach” and “November 29, 2011, back where you belong,” the second one bringing the crowd to its feet during a first-period break.

The dividends werent immediately apparent. The Blues controlled play from the opening whistle, winning individual battles and keeping the puck bottled up at the Capitals end. It took a counterattack started by goalie Tomas Vokoun to produce the first goal, with Ovechkin feeding Backstrom for the one-time wrister that went underneath Halaks right leg pad.

The Blues got their well-deserved tying goal later in the first period when Oshie put in the rebound when Alexander Steens shot hit the underside of the crossbar.

The Blues took the lead in the second period when Patrik Berglund kept alive the rebound of Chris Stewarts shot, then DAgostini gathered the puck and beat Vokoun on a wraparound.

Boudreau won 200 games faster than any coach in modern NHL history but couldnt find sustained success more accountable this season didnt fly, and he was dismissed after losing six of eight.

Now theyre getting a crash course in the ways of Hunter, who has to install his system a little bit at a time between games.

“Its not like having three days off or something,” Hunter said, “where you can really hammer it home.”

Notes

The Capitals announced the first change to Hunters staff, with Jim Johnson hired as an assistant to replace Bob Woods. Johnson was the head coach of the AHLs Norfolk Admirals for 39 games in 2009-10. He played 13 seasons as a defenseman in the NHL, including two-plus seasons in Washington from 1993-96. St. Louis won at Washington for the first time since Jan. 28, 2003. Hunter is the second coach to move straight from the Ontario Hockey League to the NHL in the past four seasons. Peter DeBoer, now with the New Jersey Devils, was hired by the Florida Panthers in 2008.

There are many Sportsbook on the internet, so in your opinion and personal experience what the best Sportsbook is ?

Some of the well known books such as sportsbook.com may not be the best place to make a wager. Check out the website for Sportsbooki reviews to see your options.

http://www.sportsbookreview.com/Ratings+on+over+400+Sportsbooks+/default.aspx?Show=Rating

Bodog, 5 Dimes, Pinnacle, Will Hill, Intertops, BetOnline and a few others are considered the best online sportsbooks. Some give better bonuses (like BetOnline) and some give better odds (like 5 Dimes). Some are bettor for recreational bettors (like Bodog) while some are bettor for more serious bettors (5 Dimes). Bodog and 5 Dimes are my personal favorites. You can’t go wrong with either of those. If you are from Canada Bodog is great because you deposit and withdraw easily. You can actually fund your account at Bodog through an online banking e-mail transfer and cash out to your bank account too. More info on Bodog and 5 Dimes here: http://www.proline-sucks.com/sportsbooks.html

The Oklahoma State Cowboys probably felt that their national title hopes had ended when they lost to Iowa State on Nov. 18. Now, they might still have a chance at the whole enchilada.

Oklahoma Sooners @ Oklahoma State Cowboys – Saturday, December 3
Sports betting line: Oklahoma State -3.5

Why Oklahoma Will Win

The college football betting  experts who have not only followed the Big 12 Conference, but who have also studied this rivalry known as the Bedlam Series (or just “Bedlam”) know that Oklahoma wears the pants in this in-state showdown. Oklahoma State has sprung the occasional upset, but whenever the stakes are particularly high, OU usually comes through. The Sooners have won seven Big 12 championships since head coach Bob Stoops took over in Norman in 1999. Oklahoma also won the Big 12 South Division title in 2003. Only Texas (1999, 2001, 2005, 2009) managed to interrupt Oklahomas dominance in the Big 12 South, which is now history due to the Big 12s loss of Nebraska and Colorado this season.

The point remains that Oklahoma has always outfoxed Oklahoma State whenever the two teams have met with a division title on the line. Now that the Big 12 features a non-divisional conference race, the Sooners and Cowboys are meeting for the league title and an automatic berth in a BCS bowl. Under these circumstances, the Sooners are clearly the team to be trusted. They know how to win in these situations. Before one dismisses OUs odds in this game, one needs to realize that the Sooners played poorly after the midpoint of the 2010 season, losing to Missouri and Texas A&M to fall out of favor with national voters. Yet, when all the chips were on the table in the Big 12, OU still bested Oklahoma State in Stillwater, 47-41. The Cowboys, not the Sooners, are the team saddled with the burden of proof in this contest. Oklahoma State must show that it can escape from OUs shadow.

Why Oklahoma State Will Win

When you do your homework and assess your best best sportsbook on this game, you need to account for the depleted nature of Oklahomas back seven on defense. Oklahoma got eviscerated this season by Texas Tech and Baylor. Yes, the Sooners lost games last year in the Big 12 as well, but those were games in which OU was still trying to find itself. The Sooners were younger and less experienced after an injury-riddled 2009 season in which few players on the team found a steady rhythm. This year, OU has still suffered injuries to key linebackers and safeties, but the Sooners were expected to be deeper and more experienced. To put the matter more precisely, Oklahoma is displaying genuine weakness, not a dip in form. Oklahoma State quarterback Brandon Weeden should be able to carve up the OU secondary, especially since he has star receiver Justin Blackmon to make plays in traffic (or on jump balls). Oklahoma State scored 41 against Oklahoma last year. It should be able to score 56 points if it plays its best game.

Who Will Win

Its tempting to finally pick Oklahoma State in this rivalry, but the Sooners have a mental advantage which cant be discounted. Bob Stoops usually rallies his players for this game, so lets see if Oklahoma State can chase away its demons. Skepticism is the proper approach take Oklahoma.

College Football Betting Pick: Oklahoma

sports betting players should expect big things from Carolina and Tampa Bay in the future, but theyre currently well behind Atlanta and New Orleans, the other teams in the NFC South as the Panthers head to Florida this week. Given the youth of each team, there are going to be a few mistakes, but Carolina has been good to wagering players all season and that will continue on Sunday.

What: NFL Betting
When: Sunday, December 4th, 1:00 PM ET
Where: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL
Pick: Carolina Panthers +3

Why Bet On Carolina Panthers (3-8 SU, 6-5 ATS)

The Panthers had a tough time keeping Indianapolis winless in a 27-19 victory on the road, and this game shouldnt have been close. Cam Newton was 20-of-27 for 208 yards, while running for 53 yards for a score, while Jonathan Stewart (70 yards) and DeAngelo Williams (69 yards, two scores) led a ground game that put up 201 yards. Their productivity when rushing the ball allowed the Panthers to hold onto the ball for over 36 minutes, but Carolina should have run away with this game and you can blame that on a defense that is poor, to say the least. Even though they managed to stopped the Colts on eight of nine third-down opportunities, Carolina still allowed 323 yards against an Indy offense that has been terrible all season. If it wasnt for a pair of interceptions by Curtis Painter, we would probably be talking about a demoralizing loss for the Panthers, who wont move up in the NFC South until they improve their 26th-ranked defense.

Linebacker Omar Gaither (knee) didnt play this week and will have to be watched when it comes to the injury report, while tight end Greg Olson (ankle) was fine despite getting hurt in the pregame warm-ups. The Panthers obviously have no NFL betting chance of making the playoffs, so everything they do is for next season, and their first mission has to be on the defensive side of the ball. Tampa Bays offense is struggling, and the Panthers need a solid defensive effort.

Why Bet On Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7 SU, 4-7 ATS)

Tampa Bays disappointing season continued in a 23-17 loss in Tennessee, and to say the game was sloppy was an understatement: the Bucs had five of the games nine turnovers, including four fumbles and two of those came from LaGarrette Blount, who ran for 103 yards. Josh Freeman was 18-of-33 for 199 yards, a touchdown and a pick, and he had a pair of fumbles, losing one of them for the Bucs, who were outscored 13-0 in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay also made Chris Johnson look like the player that Tennessee signed to a monster deal after a holdout, as the previously-slumping Johnson ran for 190 yards against the Bucs on a cold and rainy day. Tampa Bay also gave up a kickoff return for a score, which is one of many issues that they had on the day as their season is essentially over. It wasnt a pretty game and it hasnt been a pretty season for the Bucs, who many expected to push for a playoff spot.

The major injury worry for the Bucs coming out of this game is defensive lineman Brian Price (ankle), who was carted to the locker room and didnt return for Tampa Bay, who can now play relaxed against a fellow South team that has no chance of being a factor in the division. There are too many questions to ask about the Bucs right now and there should be more at the end of the season, but you have to wonder where it all went wrong for Tampa Bay and especially Freeman, who was highly touted after a solid rookie campaign. But this should have been expected coming from the second-youngest team in the NFL, so dont jump off the Tampa Bay bandwagon just yet (Carolina is the youngest team in the league, ironically).

How It Will Play Out

The Bucs open up as an early 3-point favorite at home against the Panthers, who are 3-2 SU and 2-3 ATS in their last five trips to Tampa Bay, with four games going over the posted total. These two NFC South teams have yet to meet this season as theyll face off again on Week 16 on Boxing Day in Charlotte.

All signs are pointing towards a high-scoring game as the Bucs are five spots worse than the Panthers when it comes to defensive rankings. Tampa Bay struggles to stop the run, obviously, and Carolina runs the ball extremely well, while the Panthers have to stop Blount and even Freeman on the ground. The difference may come through the air, and Carolina defends that much better than Tampa Bay. Also, who would you trust under center, Newton or Freeman? Were taking the rookie and Carolinas pass defense as Carolina covers the sports betting spread on the road.

Panthers Buccaneers Betting Pick: Carolina Panthers

CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 29, 2011

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees took a few triumphant strides toward the goal post with the ball in his hand and rose up for an imitation, Michael Jordan-style dunk over the crossbar.

He had to settle for a finger-roll instead.

It was one of the few times Brees came up short Monday night as the New Orleans Saints made everything look easy in a 49-24 victory over the slumping New York Giants, who have lost three straight.

“I was a little more tired than I thought I would be,” Brees said of his celebration, which came right after he finished an 8-yard scramble with a dive into the end zone. “I do apologize to MJ.”

Brees was prepared for a little ribbing from teammates and coaches, but they mainly complimented him after he passed for 363 yards and four touchdowns, in addition to his scoring run.

“Theres that confidence that players around him have, and obviously we have in him,” Saints coach Sean Payton said of Brees. “He made some fantastic throws tonight.”

Tight end Jimmy Graham had five catches for 84 yards, including touchdowns of 5 and 29 yards. Brees two other scoring strikes went to Lance Moore, who had five catches for 54 yards.

“Cant say enough about our team. Our coaches, offense, defense – it was a great team win tonight in every aspect,” Brees said.

This was a game New York was desperate to win after losing its previous two to San Francisco and Philadelphia.

Instead, the Giants (6-5) dropped a game behind first-place Dallas in the NFC East and face the possibility of a four-game losing streak when they host the unbeaten Green Bay Packers next weekend.

“We didnt stop them. How much further explanation do you want?” said Giants coach Tom Coughlin, whose defense was unable to sack Brees. “We prepared well, but when we got in the game we didnt cover well. When we dont get to the passer, we have trouble.”

The Saints (8-3), meanwhile, maintained a one-game lead over Atlanta in the NFC South.

They also padded their rushing stats with 205 yards on the ground, including touchdown runs of 12 yards by Pierre Thomas and 35 yards by rookie Mark Ingram.

“Our guys came out sharp,” Payton said. “We felt like this was going to be tough opponent coming in with two losses they had prior to our game. … We had the balance we were looking for. I thought we ran it well tonight.”

Marques Colston had three catches for 78 yards, all on the Saints 34-second, 88-yard touchdown drive late in the second quarter that gave New Orleans a 21-3 halftime lead. Colstons longest reception went for 50 yards when he caught a pass along the left sideline, slipped a tackle and raced up field.

The Giants took a beating on the scoreboard and on the field. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora went out with a sprained ankle and receiver Hakeem Nicks was rocked on a vicious hit by Saints rookie safety Isa Abdul-Quddus.

Nicks stayed in the game despite bruised ribs.

New York already was missing two key players because of injuries: leading rusher Ahmad Bradshaw and wide receiver Mario Manningham.

“Its hard not to know when youre getting your butt whipped, but I didnt see any moping I was concerned about,” Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. “We played hard, [but] its hard to smile when youre losing like that.”

Eli Manning completed 21 straight passes for the Giants — mostly after the outcome was decided. New York did not get into the end zone until Brandon Jacobs steamrolled safety Roman Harper on an 8-yard scoring run that made it 21-10 in the third quarter, but the Saints went right back down the field and scored on Brees 8-yard scramble.

After Giants running back DaRell Scott fumbled on his own 29, Brees connected with Graham, who rumbled down the left sideline and dove for the pylon for his second TD of the game, and his team-leading eighth receiving score of the season.

The Saints never trailed, striking first early in the second quarter on Brees 4-yard touchdown pass to Moore, who snagged a quick throw on the right side and dove to stretch the ball across the goal line before he was tackled.

The 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive included a 23-yard pass to Graham and a 23-yard run by Darren Sproles, and it was the first of three touchdown drives of more than 80 yards in the opening half.

“We can always get better. Theres always something to prove. The challenges only get greater as you move through the season,” Brees said before looking ahead to his teams next game. “Sunday night football next week, we got Detroit coming to town, on a short week, so were going to have to get ourselves back on track out here pretty quick and ready for that game.”

Back home in the Big Easy, Manning passed for 406 yards. He was intercepted by linebacker Will Herring in the end zone on the teams first series.

The only scoring the Giants managed in the first half was Lawrence Tynes 42-yard field goal. Tynes also attempted a 61-yarder, which fell short, at the end of the half.

The Giants, who have been struggling to run the ball all season, gained only 73 yards on the ground.

Notes

Brees took back the NFL passing lead from Tom Brady. Brees now has 3,689 yards, keeping him on pace to break Dan Marinos single-season mark of 5,084 set in 1984. Brees has passed for at least one TD in 38 straight games, the second-longest streak in NFL history. The Saints total of 577 yards was the second-highest in franchise history. The Giants lowered their already anemic rushing average to 82.3 yards per game.

CBSSports.com wire reports
Nov. 29, 2011

NEW ORLEANS — Drew Brees took a few triumphant strides toward the goal post with the ball in his hand and rose up for an imitation, Michael Jordan-style dunk over the crossbar.

He had to settle for a finger-roll instead.

It was one of the few times Brees came up short Monday night as the New Orleans Saints made everything look easy in a 49-24 victory over the slumping New York Giants, who have lost three straight.

“I was a little more tired than I thought I would be,” Brees said of his celebration, which came right after he finished an 8-yard scramble with a dive into the end zone. “I do apologize to MJ.”

Brees was prepared for a little ribbing from teammates and coaches, but they mainly complimented him after he passed for 363 yards and four touchdowns, in addition to his scoring run.

“Theres that confidence that players around him have, and obviously we have in him,” Saints coach Sean Payton said of Brees. “He made some fantastic throws tonight.”

Tight end Jimmy Graham had five catches for 84 yards, including touchdowns of 5 and 29 yards. Brees two other scoring strikes went to Lance Moore, who had five catches for 54 yards.

“Cant say enough about our team. Our coaches, offense, defense – it was a great team win tonight in every aspect,” Brees said.

This was a game New York was desperate to win after losing its previous two to San Francisco and Philadelphia.

Instead, the Giants (6-5) dropped a game behind first-place Dallas in the NFC East and face the possibility of a four-game losing streak when they host the unbeaten Green Bay Packers next weekend.

“We didnt stop them. How much further explanation do you want?” said Giants coach Tom Coughlin, whose defense was unable to sack Brees. “We prepared well, but when we got in the game we didnt cover well. When we dont get to the passer, we have trouble.”

The Saints (8-3), meanwhile, maintained a one-game lead over Atlanta in the NFC South.

They also padded their rushing stats with 205 yards on the ground, including touchdown runs of 12 yards by Pierre Thomas and 35 yards by rookie Mark Ingram.

“Our guys came out sharp,” Payton said. “We felt like this was going to be tough opponent coming in with two losses they had prior to our game. … We had the balance we were looking for. I thought we ran it well tonight.”

Marques Colston had three catches for 78 yards, all on the Saints 34-second, 88-yard touchdown drive late in the second quarter that gave New Orleans a 21-3 halftime lead. Colstons longest reception went for 50 yards when he caught a pass along the left sideline, slipped a tackle and raced up field.

The Giants took a beating on the scoreboard and on the field. Defensive end Osi Umenyiora went out with a sprained ankle and receiver Hakeem Nicks was rocked on a vicious hit by Saints rookie safety Isa Abdul-Quddus.

Nicks stayed in the game despite bruised ribs.

New York already was missing two key players because of injuries: leading rusher Ahmad Bradshaw and wide receiver Mario Manningham.

“Its hard not to know when youre getting your butt whipped, but I didnt see any moping I was concerned about,” Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck said. “We played hard, [but] its hard to smile when youre losing like that.”

Eli Manning completed 21 straight passes for the Giants — mostly after the outcome was decided. New York did not get into the end zone until Brandon Jacobs steamrolled safety Roman Harper on an 8-yard scoring run that made it 21-10 in the third quarter, but the Saints went right back down the field and scored on Brees 8-yard scramble.

After Giants running back DaRell Scott fumbled on his own 29, Brees connected with Graham, who rumbled down the left sideline and dove for the pylon for his second TD of the game, and his team-leading eighth receiving score of the season.

The Saints never trailed, striking first early in the second quarter on Brees 4-yard touchdown pass to Moore, who snagged a quick throw on the right side and dove to stretch the ball across the goal line before he was tackled.

The 10-play, 80-yard scoring drive included a 23-yard pass to Graham and a 23-yard run by Darren Sproles, and it was the first of three touchdown drives of more than 80 yards in the opening half.

“We can always get better. Theres always something to prove. The challenges only get greater as you move through the season,” Brees said before looking ahead to his teams next game. “Sunday night football next week, we got Detroit coming to town, on a short week, so were going to have to get ourselves back on track out here pretty quick and ready for that game.”

Back home in the Big Easy, Manning passed for 406 yards. He was intercepted by linebacker Will Herring in the end zone on the teams first series.

The only scoring the Giants managed in the first half was Lawrence Tynes 42-yard field goal. Tynes also attempted a 61-yarder, which fell short, at the end of the half.

The Giants, who have been struggling to run the ball all season, gained only 73 yards on the ground.

Notes

Brees took back the NFL passing lead from Tom Brady. Brees now has 3,689 yards, keeping him on pace to break Dan Marinos single-season mark of 5,084 set in 1984. Brees has passed for at least one TD in 38 straight games, the second-longest streak in NFL history. The Saints total of 577 yards was the second-highest in franchise history. The Giants lowered their already anemic rushing average to 82.3 yards per game.

CBSSports This win was well worth the wait for Dallas Stars goalie Andrew Raycroft.

Raycroft stopped 35 shots for his first win in nearly a year as the Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-1 on Monday night.

“It would have been nice to get one earlier,” said the 10-year veteran, who signed with the Stars for this season. “Thats the way it goes, but I played well enough to get one.”

Not only did it lift Raycrofts spirits, but those of his teammates, too. They will be relying on him while Kari Lehtonen is sidelined by a knee injury.

“Raycroft was huge for us. Nice for our guys to have some confidence in him,” Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan said. “Its good for his confidence moving forward because we are going without Kari Lehtonen for a while.”

Raycroft (1-5) hadnt won since beating Minnesota on Jan. 9. He made his first start since taking over for Lehtonen, who was placed on the injured list on Sunday after he hurt his right knee against Phoenix.

“Things have changed for me, and now Im going to get some starts here and carry some load,” Raycroft said. “Ive done it before and am confident in my ability.”

Michael Ryder scored two goals, and Eric Nystrom added his eighth of the season for the Stars.

Kevin Porter spoiled Raycrofts shutout bid with his first this season with 3:36 left, but Colorado fell to 4-9 at home.

The Avalanche entered with the NHLs second-best power play, but went 0 for 3. Semyon Varlamov made 32 saves.

Untitled

“There just was not enough quality chances, and that was the biggest problem,” Colorado coach Joe Sacco said. “We have to do a better job of driving more to the inside, getting in front of the goaltender more, making their job more difficult.”

The Avalanche had a 11-8 shots advantage in the first period, but Dallas led 1-0 at the intermission on Nystroms rebound goal.

Vernon Fiddler sent a slap shot from the slot after an Avalanche turnover. Varlamov made a stick save, but Nystrom crashed the net for the loose puck and easily scored at 15:56.

Daniel Winnik nearly scored the first short-handed goal against Dallas this season. Winnik broke in on Raycroft, but was slashed by defenseman Sheldon Souray before he was got off a shot at 3:49.

Raycroft was tested in the second period. He survived a flurry midway through when Paul Stastny missed an open net.

Moments later he stopped a shot from in close by Ryan OReilly, who swiped at the puck from his knees.

“Any of those shots could have changed the game,” Raycroft said. “We were up 1-0, so you want to keep that lead for as long as possible.”

Ryder, who played on a gimpy leg, beat Varlamov glove side at 14:36 of the third period. Porter scored at 16:24, but Ryder sealed it with an empty-net goal with 27.7 seconds left.

“It was kind of a broken play,” Porter said. “They had a turnover, and [David] Jones made a nice play. I got a shot on net and just went hard to the net.”

Raycroft said he hardly recognized the Avalanche team that he played with in the 2008-09 season.

“I remember David Jones, Paul Stastny and Milan Hejduk,” Raycroft said. “Different coach, different GM, different everything.”

Notes

Dallas has not lost in regulation when leading after two periods. … Dallas top prospect Jamie Oleksiak was selected to Canadas National Junior team. The Stars played the second of a seven of nine stretch on the road. Dallas power play is 0 for 20 in the past eight games. Stefan Elliott earned his first career assist for Colorado. The Avalanche havent won consecutive home games this season.