Rams now 1.5-point favorites over Seahawks after opening as underdogs

The Seahawks-Rams line has flipped from Seattle favored by 2.5-points to the Rams now giving 1.5 points.

The Rams came into the week as 2.5-point underdogs against the Seattle Seahawks, even with the game being played at the Coliseum. It was just the second time in the last two seasons that the Rams weren’t favored at home, but that line has since flipped.

According to BetMGM, the Rams are now actually 1.5-point favorites over Seattle. That’s a four-point shift in a matter of days, which is unusual, to say the least.

It’s likely that a large contingent of bettors were taking the Rams with the points, which caused the oddsmakers to make the line less enticing for those backing Los Angeles. By shifting it to 1.5 points in favor of the Rams, it should level out the number of bets coming in on each team.

Los Angeles is coming off a big win over the Cardinals, but the week before was a 45-6 blowout at the hands of the Ravens. The Rams haven’t won back-to-back games since Weeks 7 and 8, and have been one of the most inconsistent teams in the league.

The Seahawks, on the other hand, are 10-2 and leading the NFC West after winning five games in a row – including wins over the Vikings and 49ers. All of those victories came by no more than one possession with the biggest margin being an eight-point win over the Eagles in Week 12.

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2020 NFL draft: Justin Herbert scouting report

Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Oregon quarterback Justin Herbert

Justin Herbert | QB | Oregon

Height | 6-6

Weight | 237

College Bio Page

Career Stats

Strengths

If you sculpted the prototypical quarterback prospect, odds are it would look a lot like Herbert.

Tall and well-built, Herbert has an impressive frame that teams love at the quarterback position. He possesses a very strong arm, as his throws carry great velocity and can travel a long distance. He has the natural arm strength to deliver rockets regardless of his footing or body positioning. The force behind his throws allows him to fit passes into tight windows on a pretty regular basis.

Herbert is a good athlete who can evade defenders in the pocket and pick up yards with his feet if necessary. He delivers the ball with a quick release and sound upper-body mechanics. His throws are executed with a solid sense of anticipation, and he has flashed deadly touch on the deep ball at times. Jump-ball situations are a specialty of Herbert’s, as he does a very good job of placing his throws right where the receiver can grab them.

Herbert has a reliable resume, having being a starter at Oregon for four years. The senior has a lot of quality tape to his name, and that will certainly entice teams during the draft process. Herbert is also a biology major who finished with a 4.01 GPA and is known for excelling in the classroom, as well as on the field.

Weaknesses

Though Herbert has had plenty of reps at the collegiate level, he still has some fine-tuning to do to his game.

His footwork has the tendency to fall apart in a collapsing pocket, thus hurting his ability to deliver an accurate ball. He drops back with a bit of a wide base and could stand to narrow his approach ever so slightly. Oregon’s offense doesn’t require him to look past his first read very often, and he has shown struggles with forcing throws and being unable to consistently read the field.

The touch on Herbert’s throws can be perfect at times, but he still needs some more consistency in that regard. He can overthrow his targets on deep balls from time to time and can get better at timing his vertical throws. He is also prone to firing rockets on short passes in situations that don’t require them, which can make it tougher for his targets — running backs, in particular — to make the catch.

Bottom Line

A productive, proven starter at the collegiate level with physical tools aplenty, Herbert has the potential to become a franchise quarterback at the next level. With Tua Tagovailoa’s injury likely dropping his stock, expect Herbert to be the second quarterback selected in the 2020 draft.

Projection: Top 10

Matt Jones moves into Australian Open lead as bushfire smoke lifts

Australian Matt Jones birdied his final hole for a 6-under 65 and the second-round lead as the air cleared at the Australian Open.

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SYDNEY (AP) — Australian Matt Jones birdied his final hole Friday for a 6-under 65 and a one-stroke lead after two rounds on a day of low scoring at the Australian Open.

Jones had a 36-hole total of 10-under 132 at the Australian Golf Club. Paul Casey shot 65 and Dimitrios Papadatos 66 and were tied for second.

Friday’s low scoring came after the bushfire-driven haze that blanketed the course on Thursday afternoon cleared significantly for the second round.

“Anytime you get to lead is fantastic,” Jones said. “It would have been better to be more in front, but I’ll take one in front. Still a long way to go. I’m sure the wind is going to pick up the next two days, which will make it a little tougher.”

American Cameron Tringale, who shot 65, and Louis Oosthuizen had a 66 to be among those two shots behind.

Casey, at No. 14 and the top-ranked player in the field, had seven birdies including four in a row to end his round.

Leaderboard: Australian Open

“I’ve not been able to get it close to any flag for about a day and a half and then suddenly the back nine for me, the last half a dozen holes, I had some really good birdie opportunities,” Casey said. “I don’t know if it was fully in the zone but it was really nice stuff and it felt really good.”

Adam Scott followed up his opening 75 with a 67 Friday but still missed the cut.

Scott and Oosthuizen are both on the International team for next week’s Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. Their captain, Ernie Els, may have some extra time to plot his strategy against the American team — Els shot 77 on Friday and missed the cut as well .

“I just didn’t quite swing enough or good enough and so be it. But, it was always going to be tough for me to play well with next week coming up,”’ Els said. “Actually even last night, I got some pairings going for the guys and so things are really getting set up now. I’m really focused on next week now, absolutely.”

The Australian Open is the first qualifier for next year’s British Open, to be played from July 16-19 at Royal St. George’s. The leading three players who finish in the top 10 and ties at the Australian Open who are not already exempt will qualify.

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Steelers vs Cardinals: 3 reasons Pittsburgh won’t lose this week

The Cardinals defense has struggled all season and the Steelers offense should take advantage of that.

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The playoffs don’t start for a month but for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the season has been single elimination for the last several weeks. Pittsburgh has taken the one game at a time mantra to heart and has kept their focus during this 6-1 run they are on. This week the Steelers get the Arizona Cardinals who were mathematically eliminated from the playoffs last week and sit at 3-8-1.

There was a time when playing a bad team on the road was scary because the Steelers didn’t hesitate to play down to their opponents. But this isn’t the case this season, especially on defense. Here are three reasons the Steelers will not lose to the Cardinals this week.

The Cardinals defense can’t stop anyone

Arizona is currently ranked No. 31 in points allowed (29.2) and No. 32 in yards allowed (426.3) per game. Pittsburgh hasn’t had a 300-yard passer yet this season but if there was ever a week to do it, this would be it. The Steelers offense will be a concern for the remainder of the season but this week Pittsburgh should feast on the Cardinals D.

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PODCAST: Lamar Jackson breakdown with Ravens beat reporter

The Ravens are one of the most perplexing offenses in the NFL currently. Their style of a run heavy offense with a dual-threat QB in Lamar Jackson is not uncommon, but the way that it’s executed has never quite been seen before. The way that the …

The Ravens are one of the most perplexing offenses in the NFL currently. Their style of a run heavy offense with a dual-threat QB in Lamar Jackson is not uncommon, but the way that it’s executed has never quite been seen before. The way that the team sells it’s trickery, misdirection, and plays in general has challenged and confused every team in it’s way so far.

Buffalo is an enigma, though. A resilient team that has been in an uphill battle all season, on and off of the field. Facing criticism from many for a schedule that’s out of their control, doubts about Josh Allen, coaching, and more. They’ve risen to the occasion, and are one of the best teams in the AFC and NFL currently. They are certainly chomping at the bit for this opportunity to cement their place along with the greats in 2019.

Joining host Matt John for this episode, are the Managing Editor of Billswire, Nick Wojton. Secondly, a friend and colleague of Nick’s from college, Sean Grogan, who covers the Baltimore Ravens for Cecil Whig via cecildaily.com, to discuss the various aspects, story lines, and more for this huge AFC match up:

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10 dishes worth traveling for in 2020

When people travel, they want to eat what locals eat. These 10 iconic dishes are so integral to the places they’re from, they’ve become destinations all on their own. Here’s where to go to try them. 1. Gumbo Louisiana is the birthplace of this dish. 2. Lobster There are plenty of fun and exciting ways to enjoy lobster in Maine. 3. Rhode Island Clam Chowder Rhode Island clam chowder actually predates both the New England and Manhattan varieties. 4. Hot Brown The culinary crown of Louisville is Texas toast topped with turkey breast, drenched in Mornay sauce and finished with bacon. 5. Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY was where the famous wing sauce was born. 6. Sonoran Hot Dog This Tucson street food is a fried hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, mustard and mayonnaise. 7. Banh Mi For food lovers traveling to Ho Chi Minh City, it’s worth stopping by Hoa Ma where it is believed that the first bahn mi was created. 8. Raclette Raclette is both a cheese and a meal, served throughout the Swiss Alps. 9. Poutine Locals from Montreal to Toronto have their restaurants that they think serve the best poutine. 10. Sushi For many, Japan is synonymous with sushi. What dish would you travel for?

When people travel, they want to eat what locals eat. These 10 iconic dishes are so integral to the places they’re from, they’ve become destinations all on their own. Here’s where to go to try them. 1. Gumbo Louisiana is the birthplace of this dish. 2. Lobster There are plenty of fun and exciting ways to enjoy lobster in Maine. 3. Rhode Island Clam Chowder Rhode Island clam chowder actually predates both the New England and Manhattan varieties. 4. Hot Brown The culinary crown of Louisville is Texas toast topped with turkey breast, drenched in Mornay sauce and finished with bacon. 5. Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY was where the famous wing sauce was born. 6. Sonoran Hot Dog This Tucson street food is a fried hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, mustard and mayonnaise. 7. Banh Mi For food lovers traveling to Ho Chi Minh City, it’s worth stopping by Hoa Ma where it is believed that the first bahn mi was created. 8. Raclette Raclette is both a cheese and a meal, served throughout the Swiss Alps. 9. Poutine Locals from Montreal to Toronto have their restaurants that they think serve the best poutine. 10. Sushi For many, Japan is synonymous with sushi. What dish would you travel for?

10 dishes worth traveling for in 2020

When people travel, they want to eat what locals eat. These 10 iconic dishes are so integral to the places they’re from, they’ve become destinations all on their own. Here’s where to go to try them. 1. Gumbo Louisiana is the birthplace of this dish. 2. Lobster There are plenty of fun and exciting ways to enjoy lobster in Maine. 3. Rhode Island Clam Chowder Rhode Island clam chowder actually predates both the New England and Manhattan varieties. 4. Hot Brown The culinary crown of Louisville is Texas toast topped with turkey breast, drenched in Mornay sauce and finished with bacon. 5. Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY was where the famous wing sauce was born. 6. Sonoran Hot Dog This Tucson street food is a fried hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, mustard and mayonnaise. 7. Banh Mi For food lovers traveling to Ho Chi Minh City, it’s worth stopping by Hoa Ma where it is believed that the first bahn mi was created. 8. Raclette Raclette is both a cheese and a meal, served throughout the Swiss Alps. 9. Poutine Locals from Montreal to Toronto have their restaurants that they think serve the best poutine. 10. Sushi For many, Japan is synonymous with sushi. What dish would you travel for?

When people travel, they want to eat what locals eat. These 10 iconic dishes are so integral to the places they’re from, they’ve become destinations all on their own. Here’s where to go to try them. 1. Gumbo Louisiana is the birthplace of this dish. 2. Lobster There are plenty of fun and exciting ways to enjoy lobster in Maine. 3. Rhode Island Clam Chowder Rhode Island clam chowder actually predates both the New England and Manhattan varieties. 4. Hot Brown The culinary crown of Louisville is Texas toast topped with turkey breast, drenched in Mornay sauce and finished with bacon. 5. Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY was where the famous wing sauce was born. 6. Sonoran Hot Dog This Tucson street food is a fried hot dog wrapped in bacon and topped with tomatoes, onion, jalapeños, mustard and mayonnaise. 7. Banh Mi For food lovers traveling to Ho Chi Minh City, it’s worth stopping by Hoa Ma where it is believed that the first bahn mi was created. 8. Raclette Raclette is both a cheese and a meal, served throughout the Swiss Alps. 9. Poutine Locals from Montreal to Toronto have their restaurants that they think serve the best poutine. 10. Sushi For many, Japan is synonymous with sushi. What dish would you travel for?

Giants now dead last in latest USA TODAY power rankings

The New York Giants can fall no further — they are now dead last in the latest USA TODAY power rankings.

The New York Giants have lost eight consecutive games, are 2-10 on the season, failed to win a single game in the months of October and November for the first time in franchise history, their quarterback is injured and their head coach is on the hot seat.

Not much is going well in East Rutherford these days, and that was reflected in the latest edition of the USA TODAY power rankings, where the Giants fell two spots to the literal basement.

Yes, the Giants are finally dead last in said rankings.

As injuries mount and drama around embattled Pat Shurmur builds, would you pick them over Cincinnati? Eight-game skid now league’s longest.

Comparatively, the Washington Redskins rose two spots to No. 26 overall, while the Philadelphia Eagles fell one spot to No. 19 overall and the Dallas Cowboys fell three spots to No. 14 overall.

That also came prior to Dallas’ Thursday night loss to the Chicago Bears, so expect them to slide even further.

Also, in the event anyone reading this cares, the New York Jets fell two spots to No. 21 overall, while the Baltimore Ravens remain in place at No. 1 overall.

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This is an unflattering statistical comparison for Tom Brady

Tom Brady is drawing unflattering comparisons to a struggling NFL QB.

Tom Brady’s season hasn’t come together like he’s hoped. The New England Patriots quarterback helped the team get off to a strong start in 2019, but they have regressed, particularly on offense, past Week 4.

In fact, Brady has drawn statistical comparisons to Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky from Week 5 through Week 13. Trubisky is getting blasted for his tough play this season, and some believe he could out of a job by the end of the season. (He’s making a rally in recent weeks with strong performances in Weeks 13 and 14.)

During that nine-week span, Brady’s statistical comparisons to Trubisky are not flattering. Brady completed 59.2% of his passes for 6.2 yards per attempt, a 80.3 quarterback rating, 11 touchdowns and six interceptions. Trubisky, meanwhile, threw 10 touchdowns and five interceptions with a 63.2 completion % and an 85.7 quarterback rating at 6.3 yards per attempt.

The biggest difference?

During that same span, Brady was 6-2. Trubisky was 3-4.

It’s a small sample size, and there’s plenty of time for Brady and the Patriots to make things right. But its does provide a look at how New England has struggled offensively in recent weeks.

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Honey, I shrunk the ‘California Kid’? ‘Skyscraper’ Stefan Struve towers over Urijah Faber

The “Skyscraper,” Stefan Struve, absolutely towers over Urijah Faber in a photo taken at UFC on ESPN 7’s media day in Washington, D.C.

They don’t call him the “Skyscraper” for nothing.

During the UFC on ESPN 7 media day Thursday, [autotag]Stefan Struve[/autotag] and [autotag]Urijah Faber[/autotag] took a photo together.

And nope, this is not Photoshopped. The 7-foot Struve absolutely towered over the 5-foot-6 Faber in a photo that almost doesn’t look real.

There are weight classes in this sport for a reason.

Struve fights on Saturday’s main card at UFC on ESPN 7 in Washington, D.C, against fellow heavyweight Ben Rothwell.

Faber is in town to corner one of his teammates, star pupil Song Yadong, who takes on Cody Stamann in a pivotal bantamweight clash. Faber returns to the cage next week at UFC 245 against Peter Yan in Las Vegas.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.