Category Archives: Sports
NFL Changes Position On Sunday Ticket
I guess enough people called and/or complained about the Ravens and Texans game not being available on Monday night, because the NFL has changed their position on making the game available. I called DirecTV twice the past few days and have been told each time that the game would not be available until the day following on channel 717 unless otherwise allowed by the NFL. The reason I was given was because ESPN has exclusive rights to broadcast football games on Monday night, so I suppose ESPN gave NFL the OK to allow the game to be available to Sunday Ticket package subscribers. Tonight DirecTV sent out a distribution email to Sunday Ticket subscribers letting us know that the game would be available which validates the reports by profootballtalk.com that the NFL has changed their mind. Here is a snippet from the email I received from DirecTV:
NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ UPDATE: BALTIMORE VS. HOUSTON GAME RESCHEDULED
Due to Hurricane Ike, which is expected to impact the Gulf Coast of Texas this weekend, the NFL has rescheduled the game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans for Monday, September 15. As an NFL SUNDAY TICKET™ subscriber, you will be able to watch the game live on Monday night.
Baltimore Ravens at Houston Texans
Monday, September 15
8:30 PM ET
Channel 717
Channel 717-1 (HD)
Ravens Texans Unavailable On Sunday Ticket
Due to ESPN’s exclusivity agreement with the NFL, the rescheduled Ravens and Texans game on Monday in Houston will not be available to those with DirecTV’s NFL Sunday Ticket package. The game will only be viewable on CBS in the primary and secondary markets of the Ravens and Texans. The rest of the country will however be able to watch the Eagles and Cowboys on ESPN. To voice your displeasure with this exclusivity agreement or plead with ESPN to waive it, you can fill out this online form here.
NFL Officially Moves Ravens Texans Game
The NFL has officially announced that the Ravens and Texans game scheduled for Sunday at 4:15 in Houston has been moved to Monday night at 8:30 as rumors previously suggested. The NFL has also left the door open for further changes to the scheduled game depending on the situation in Houston after Hurricane Ike has moved through. The game will be broadcast in the Ravens and Texans primary and secondary markets on CBS, not nationally like regularly scheduled Monday night games.
Current speculation is that one of the NFL’s backup plans if there are problems in Houston on Monday is to shuffle the Ravens, Texans and Bengals bye weeks to accommodate the Ravens and Texans game being rescheduled for the Ravens bye week. The Bengals and Texans have the same bye week (week 8) and they also have a head to head match-up scheduled for week 10 (the Ravens bye week) which conveniently lines up the possible three team swap.
Here is how it would work:
- The Texans and Ravens byes would be declared for week 2.
- The Texans and Bengals game would be moved up to week 8 which is both teams bye week.
- The Ravens and Texans game would be rescheduled for week 10.
- The Bengals would inherit the Ravens week 10 bye.
Ravens Texans Game Moving To Monday?
Rumors are swirling that because of Hurricane Ike the NFL will move the Texans and Ravens game scheduled for 4:15pm in Houston on Sunday to Monday evening in Houston. There were rumors of the game moving to Austin, TX, New Orleans, San Antonio, Atlanta and even Baltimore, but it appears that the NFL has settled on keeping the game in Houston and hoping that conditions are safe enough by Monday evening for them to play the game at Reliant Stadium. The NFL is expected to make an announcement of their plans at 4pm today.
Ravens Stifle The Bengals
The Baltimore Ravens prospects looked bleak going into week one with rookies starting at QB and RB and many defensive starters still nursing injuries. The Ravens managed to get all of their defensive starters except DT Kelly Gregg healthy enough to start the game, and then they took matters into their own hands by smothering the high powered Bengals offense en route to a 17-10 victory. The Bengals offense only managed 154 total yards and put 3 points on the board (the other TD was scored on a fumble return by their defense). Cam Cameron was forced to call a conservative game to protect his young backfield, but he was able to do enough in cranking up the running game for over 200 yards rushing and pulling out some of his tricks at the right time which produced a 42 TD yard on a reverse by Mark Clayton. The Ravens other offensive touchdown was scored on a 38 yard run by Flacco on what appeared to be a broken play. Flacco, the Ravens rookie QB didn’t have it easy in his debut, but he had no turnovers and was able to extend some drives with some clutch throws.
Terps Upset By Middle Tennessee
The Terps traveled to Middle Tennessee expecting a win while tuning up to play Cal next week. Things started off great for the Terps when Da’Rel Scott ran 63 yards for a score, but there was only one other Terps highlight the rest of the game when Darrius Heyward-Bey took a wide receiver screen 80 yards for a TD in the second half. The first half ended with Middle Tennessee winning 10-7, and three points is as close as the Terps would get (it was 17-14 at one point in the second half) as Middle Tennessee bested the terps by double digits 24-14. The loss was demoralizing for the Terps who suffered their first loss to a Sun Belt Conference team.
Game Notes:
- QB Chris Turner had a terrible game completing less than half of his pass attempts and throwing three interceptions. His lone touchdown pass was a 1 yard wide receiver screen that Darrius Heyward-Bey turned into an 80 yard touchdown.
- Dual threat QB Josh Portis played more this week and completed his first pass attempt as a Terp. The offense was able to do some things with him in the game, but they need to show he can more than just run the ball before opposing defenses actually fear him.
- Da’Rel Scott had an impressive performance gaining over 10 yards per carry and over 100 yards overall, but he was only able to carry the ball 11 times because the Blue Raiders kept the Terps offense off the field and later in the game the Terps were primarily using the passing game to try to mount a comeback.
Week 1 NFL Picks ATS
Here are my week 1 picks against the spread:
| Giants | -3.5 |
| Baltimore | 1.5 |
| Detroit | -3.5 |
| Pitt | -6.5 |
| Tenn | 2.5 |
| Patriots | -16.5 |
| Jets | -2.5 |
| Seattle | 0.5 |
| Philly | -7.5 |
| Saints | -3.5 |
| Arizona | -2.5 |
| San Diego | -9.5 |
| Dallas | -5.5 |
| Indy | -9.5 |
| Green Bay | -2.5 |
| Denver | 2.5 |
Adam Schein Week 1 NFL Picks
Adam Schein of Sirius NFL Radio, Foxsports.com and SNY now is doing his weekly picks via a video feed on foxsports.com. Check the video out below:
Schein Picks : Week 1 : NFL-o-licious
I’ve already done my picks against the spread (I’m in a pool), I’ll post them here before Sunday. I know I know, I missed the Thursday game but trust me I picked the Giants -3.5.
Willie Anderson Signed By Ravens.
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Bengals.com and the Baltimore Sun four time pro-bowl right tackle Willie Anderson will sign a three year $11 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens on Friday. By signing Anderson, the Ravens will have solved their uncertainty at the right tackle position though it is not clear when Anderson will be able to take over full time. Currently Adam Terry occupies the right tackle position and barring a surprise announcement he figures to start week one against the Anderson’s former team the Cincinnati Bengals.
Ravens Finally Acquire a QB. Boller on IR.
Contrary to previous reports the Ravens have not acquired Joey Harrington or Chris Simms. Instead they have signed Todd Bouman to serve as a backup QB to Joe Flacco for the Ravens week one matchup against the Bengals. Eventually he will probably serve as the 3rd QB when Troy Smith has recovered from his illness. Bouman has been a career backup playing for several teams having only started six games.
Baltimore Sports Post 