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#1
A 53-man roster under the salary cap using actual cap numbers with certain parameters, which are below, was . The composition of the roster has changed dramatically in this end-of-the-season version because a primary emphasis was put on 2019 performance., the 2018 NFL MVP, is no longer the choice at quarterback although he could become the NFL's first $40 million per year player before next season starts. , who won the rushing title last season, has been replaced at running back. A pectoral tear took three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year J.J. Watt out of the mix.Parameters1. The salary cap for the roster is $200.3 million. The actual NFL salary cap is $188.2 million for this year. The number being used is the league's average adjusted salary cap according to NFLPA data. Each NFL team's working salary cap varies largely because unused cap room can be carried over from one year to the next. For example, the have the league's highest adjusted salary cap at just under $246.7 million largely thanks to carrying over nearly $57 million of cap room. The have the lowest at $187.643 million, which is slightly below the league-wide number. Situations like this typically occur when incentives earned during the previous season that weren't counting on the cap get accounted for without sufficient cap room carrying over from the prior year to make up the difference.2. The NFL Draft is an e sential element of roster building for NFL teams. It is here also. One player from each round of the 2019 draft must be on the roster. The number requirement drops by one player for each year of the preceding three drafts (2016-2018). The limit of one player per round remains. Thus, only four 2016 draft picks are required. There's one other draft pick constraint. Only one 2015 first-round pick whose fifth-year option was exercised is allowed regardle s of whether he signed a contract extension. Selecting one isn't a nece sity.3. The backups at each position are limited to players that aren't clear cut established starters. This means players at positions where there's a "by committee approach", usually running back, qualify. A backfield containing Elliott and is prohibited since both are workhorse or every-down running backs. Those starting only because of an injury are also fair game as reserves. Young veterans, particularly second-year players, solidifying a place in the lineup for the first time this season are no longer allowed to be backups. Rookies can be either starters or backups regardle s of actual playing time.4. There's one big allowance being made defensively. Three starting cornerbacks are acceptable without sacrificing a starter in a traditional base defense since five or more defensive backs are now used over 60% percent of the time in the NFL. The result is twelve defensive starters.5. Choosing a player that was given a franchise or transition designation in 2019 is optional. However, only one player receiving a 2019 designation can be selected.Here's the revamped team I a sembled with some of my thoughts behind the selections. The 2019 salary cap number for each player is in parentheses. In cases where a player was elevated from the practice squad or signed off the street during the season, what would have been his full-year cap number is being used. The full cap number is also in use for players traded during the season.STARTERSOFFENSEQB: , Ravens ($2,160,168)A potential franchise quarterback on a rookie contract is the most valuable commodity in the NFL. The roster flexibility Jackson's cap number provides couldn't be ignored. Jackson, the presumptive league MVP, has become the most dangerous dual threat to ever play the game in just two NFL seasons. The 2018 32nd overall pick has established a new single-season quarterback rushing record with 1,206 yards on the ground. Jackson also leads the NFL with 36 touchdown pa ses. He is the first to have at least 3,000 pa sing yards and 1,000 rushing yards in the same season.RB: Christian McCaffrey, Panthers ($4,709,694)McCaffrey has accounted for 44.6 percent of Carolina's offense with an NFL best 2,294 yards from scrimmage (combined rushing and receiving yards). 2017's eighth overall pick is 67 receiving yards away from joining Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk as the only players with 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards in the same season. McCaffrey has already broken the NFL single-season receptions record for running backs he set in 2018 by catching 109 pa ses this year.WR: , Falcons ($10,366,666)Jones just became the fastest in league history to reach 12,000 receiving yards. It took him 125 games, which was e sentially a full season faster than Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, the previous record holder. Rice did it in 142 games. Jones is currently third in the NFL with 1,316 yards on 92 receptions.WR: , Saints ($6,134,875)Thomas is having a season for the ages. He has surpa sed Hall of Fame wide receiver Marvin Harrison's single-season receptions record of 143, which was set in 2002. The 2016 second-round pick has caught 145 pa ses. It's conceivable that Thomas will hit the 155 catch mark this season. Thomas is also leading the NFL with a career-best 1,688 receiving yards.WR: , ($881,856)Godwin is no longer playing second fiddle to in Tampa Bay's offense. The 2017 third-round pick has 86 catches for 1,333 yards with nine touchdowns in his breakout season. Godwin will spend significant time operating out of the slot since 63.4 percent of his snaps have come from there according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).TE: George Kittle-49ers ($727,094)Kittle is 33 receiving yards shy of his second straight season with at least 1,000. The 2017 fifth-round pick set the single-season receiving yards record by a tight end in 2018 with 1,377 yards.LT: , Ravens ($6,524,087)Stanley earned his first Pro Bowl berth for protecting Jackson's blindside. The 2016 first-round pick has allowed Jackson to only be hit once this season and hasn't given up a sack.LG: , Patriots ($2,226,112)Thuney has been a bright spot on an underperforming offensive line. The 2016 third-round pick is second among offensive guards in ESPN's pa s block win rate metric.C: , Eagles ($2,451,520)The 2017 and 2018 first-team All-Pro is still arguably the league's best center. He earned his first original ballot Pro Bowl selection this season for the first time since 2014.RG: , Eagles ($9,856,270)Brooks recently surpa sed as the NFL's highest-paid interior offensive lineman. He signed a four-year, $56.55 million extension averaging $14,137,500 per year.RT: , Chiefs ($6.43 million)Schwartz has never made a Pro Bowl because a distinction of the tackle positions isn't made in the selection proce s. He is a good bet to earn All-Pro honors for a fourth straight year because the A sociated Pre s differentiates between left and right tackles.DEFENSEDE: Chandler Jones, ($14,840,853)Jones' 72.5 sacks over the last five seasons (2015 through 2019) are easily the most in the NFL. defensive tackle is second with 63. Jones has a career-high 19 sacks this season and is on the verge of winning another sack title to go with the one he got in 2017. He has also forced a league-best eight fumbles in 2019.DT: Aaron Donald, Rams ($17,113,405)Donald probably isn't going to make history by becoming the first player to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year award in three straight years. Nonethele s, he remains the league' T.j. Tynan Jersey s most disruptive force from the interior of a defensive line. This is his third consecutive season with double digits sacks. He leads interior defensive lineman with 12.5 sacks.DT: , ($14,908,778)Heyward's 28 run stops are tied for third among NFL interior defensive lineman according to PFF. He can also get to the quarterback. Donald (71) and (58) are the only interior linemen who have more than Heyward's 57 quarterback pre sures.DE: , Saints ($9.547 million)Jordan has a career-high 14.5 sacks this season. His ability to pre sure opposing quarterbacks earned a third straight Pro Bowl berth.SLB: , Patriots ($3,002,820)Collins has made the most of his return to New England after two and a half lackluster seasons with the Browns. He has six sacks, three interceptions, and three forced fumbles this season.MLB: , 49ers ($732,547)Warner's cost-effectivene s was too good to pa s up. The 2018 third-round pick's four-year rookie deal averages just under $1 million per year. Warner was named November's NFC Defensive Player of the Month after 33 tackles, three sacks and two forced fumbles in three games.WLB: , Buccaneers ($9,754,700)David has long been one of the NFL's most underappreciated linebackers. As usual, he was snubbed for the Pro Bowl. It used to be because pa sing rushing outside linebackers are favored over off the ball ones in the voting proce s. With Tampa Bay switching to a 3-4 defense, David had to contend with the best two inside linebackers of this generation, () and ().CB: Stephen Gilmore, Patriots ($9,178,118)Gilmore has solidified his standing as the league's best cornerback this season. He is a leading candidate for NFL Defensive Player of the Year. Gilmore is tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions. His 19 pa s breakups are the most in the league.CB: , 49ers ($9.8 million)Sherman has returned to form in his second season since rupturing his right Achilles in 2017. He was named to the Pro Bowl for the fifth time this year.FS: , Saints ($1,708,275)Williams has been one of the NFL's best ballhawks at safety this season. The 2017 second-round pick is tied for third among NFL safeties with four interceptions. Williams' 13 pa ses defended are the second most for a safety.SS: , Chiefs ($5,933,333)Mathieu was given a three-year, $42 million contract to help transform a Kansas City defense that was a weakne s last year. He hasn't disappointed. The ranked 31st in total defense last season while giving up 26.3 points per game. This year, the Chiefs are 17th and points are down to 19.1 per game. Mathieu is the Swi s Army knife of the secondary because of his versatility, which includes the ability to handle slot wide receivers.SPECIALISTSK: , Ravens ($4,698,173)P: , ($595,426)LS: , Vikings ($513,644)KR: , Saints ($498,333)PR: HarrisTucker is the most accurate kicker in NFL history connecting on 261 of 288 field goal attempts for a 90.6 percent conversion rate (minimum of 100 made). He has hit 24 of his 25 field goals (96 percent) this season. Cooke, a 2018 seventh-round pick, has an NFL best 44.4-yard net punting average. He is tied for second with 26 punts for fair catches. Harris handles return duties. He is fourth in the NFL in both kickoff return average (26.8 yards) and punt return average (9.4 yards). Cutting was the only long snapper drafted this year. He was a seventh-round pick.RESERVESQuarterback, Saints ($3,255,405), Saints ($651,580)Bridgewater provides experience as Jackson's backup. He thrived while getting his first game action over an extended period of time since suffering a gruesome, career-threatening knee injury during the 2016 preseason when he was the starting quarterback. The didn't really mi s a beat in the five games he started, all victories, because of ' thumb injury. In the five starts, Bridgewater completed 69.7 percent of his pa ses (115 of 165 attempts) for 1,205 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. His pa ser rating was 103.7.A third quarterback is being kept because Hill is a jack of all trades. In addition to being a standout on special teams for the Saints, Hill has lined up at running back, wide receiver and tight end as well as taken snaps under center in wildcat formations. He has one rushing touchdown and five receiving touchdowns this season.Running backs, 49ers ($1,958,333), Saints ($1,855,875), Chargers (561,826), Ravens ($988,021)Mostert started taking a more prominent role in San Francisco's running back by committee approach as the season progre sed. He leads NFL running backs with 5.6 yards per carry. Murray had consecutive 100-yard rushing games during the middle of the season while was slowed by knee and ankle problems. Ekeler demonstrated he can be more than just a complementary piece during ill-advised holdout. He has the second most catches for a running back this season with 83 and leads with 950 receiving yards. Ricard, who earned his first Pro Bowl berth this season, is the lone fullback. He's a two-way player who also adds defensive tackle depth.Wide receiversA.J. Brown, ($1,027,094), ($745,805)Deonte Harris, Saints ($498,333)Brown and McLaurin, second and third-round picks respectively, are battling for the lead in receiving yards among rookies. Both could top the 1,000-yard mark with a strong close to the season. Brown is second in the NFL with 19.3 yards per catch. Harris' primary contribution will be returning kicks.Tight ends, Eagles ($1,285,766)Max Williams, Cardinals ($1,059,700)Goedert has started to emerge from the shadow of perennial Pro Bowl tight end because the ' wide receiving corps has been decimated by injury. Williams functions primarily as a blocker.Offensive lineStefan Wisniewski, Chiefs ($735,000), 49ers ($539,887), Ravens ($497,666)Wisniewski, who can play both center and guard, has been a nice fill-in for Kansas City when pre sed into action because of injury. Skule, a 2019 sixth-round pick, has gotten eight starts this season because of injuries to left tackle . Mekari held up surprising well against Aaron Donald when thrown in to fire after starting center hurt his knee against the Rams. His natural position is offensive guard.Defensive ends, 49ers ($6,100,339), ($690,566)Bosa, who was named a Pro Bowl starter, is a front runner for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. His 69 quarterback pre sures are tied for ninth in the league and two behind NFL sack leader ' 71. Crosby, a 2019 fourth-round pick, leads Oakland with 8.5 sacks although defensive end was taken with the fourth overall pick.Defensive tackles, ($742,520), Raiders ($657,281)Williams, a journeyman, has made the most of his opportunities provided by ' elbow injury. He has six sacks this season but can also stuff the run. Hurst hasn't had the breakout year that some expected but can provide a pa s rush.Linebackers, Vikings ($655,619), Redskins ($611,477), Browns ($572,201)T.J Edwards, Eagles ($499,166) going on injured reserve with a concu sion has made Wilson Minnesota's weakside linebacker. Dion Hamilton has seen regular playing time in Washington's linebacker rotation. Wilson has been starting in Cleveland ever since tore a pectoral tendon two games into the season. Edwards has become more than just a special teamer because of season-ending back injury.Cornerbacks, Ravens ($9.069 Million), Falcons ($742,520)J.C. Jackson, Patriots ($580,583), Rams ($577,285)Peters is really the 12th starter. The 2015 NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year's 27 interceptions since entering the NFL are a league-best and nine better the next cornerback (). Wreh-Wilson has had his moments for the this season. Jackson has the fewest starts between him, and in New England but is tied for fourth in the NFL with five interceptions. There hasn't been a big drop off with Williams playing in place of while his thumb heals.Safeties, Vikings ($743,341), ($645,000)A high ankle sprain derailed Colbert's 2018 season when he was San Francisco's starting free safety. A depleted secondary has given Colbert a new lease on his NFL life in Miami. Kearse is a special teams standout.Final Thoughts/Tale Of The TapeTOTAL SALARY CAP ROOM USED (53 Players)-$193,435,563REMAINING SALARY CAP ROOM-$6,864,437OFFENSE (25 Players)-$68,221,605 (34.06%)DEFENSE (25 Players)-$119,406,782 (59.61%)SPECIALISTS (3 Players)-$5,807,243 (2.9%)POSITIONAL BREAKDOWN (Total & Salary Cap Percentage)QB-$6,067,153 (3.03%)RB-$10,166,111 (5.08%)WR-$19,655,239 (9.81%)TE-$3,072,560 (1.53%)OL-$29,260,542 (14.61%)DE-$31,178,158(15.57%)DT-$33,421,716 (16.69%)LB-$15,828,853 (7.9%)CB-$29,947,506 (14.95%)S-$9,029,949 (4.51%)All of the cap room isn't being used. There's still few million to spare after leaving room for a full practice squad of 10 players (approximately $1.36 million).There is a much greater allocation of cap resources to the defense because of Jackson's low cost. 75 percent more cap space is devoted to that side of the ball. The biggest expenditure is in the defensive line, which takes up nearly $65 million of cap room.There are just 10 holdovers from the original 2019 team. Thomas and Kelce are the only offensive starters to make a return appearance. All of the defensive starters are different except for Donald and Gilmore.The Saints lead the way with seven players. The and have six players apiece. The , , , , , , , , , Seahawks and got shut out. It's a bit surprising that the Bills, Packers, Seahawks, and Texans don't have any players on the team since they have clinched playoff berths.  Oliver Kylington Jersey
#2
DeVonta Smith may have entered the Naughty List with his touchdown celebration against the Cowboys on Saturday.Following a 9-yard touchdown from Gardner Minshew to make the score 34-27  Smith's second touchdown reception of the night  the second-year receiver made use of the NFL's Salvation Army kettle. Instead of jumping in it or even playing whack-a-mole, Smith had a wonderful, awful idea straight out of the Grinch's playbook:They've been practicing this one Touchdown   FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) It's not often that celebrations are Christmas-themed, so kudos to Smith and Co. for making the most of the opportunity to take a different approach to utilizing the Salvation Army kettle. Extra points for fake-kicking in an imaginary Alex Newhook Jersey  door, as well as getting a conveyor system going.MORE: Of course, this isn't the first time the kettle has been a part of players' celebrations. The Cowboys were recently fined for playing in it, and running back Ezekiel Elliott even one time.No word on whether the NFL will fine Smith and Co. for the celebration, but it was a fun celebration following the touchdown grab. With that, Smith had six catches for 68 yards. The celebration also elicited quite the reaction from social media:Devonta Smith doing The Favre after that touchdown was crazy Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) the Salvation Army is a hate group and the money they take should go to better causesgood for devonta smith, an ally  Je se Spector (@je sespector) Smith just kicked the Salvation Army kettle over and along with Watkins took all the  out  shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) Omg Devonta Smith just put on a ski mask, kicked open the door and robbed the Salvation Army bucket after scoring a TD in Dallas  Will Brinson (@WillBrinson)  Maurice Richard Jersey
#3
After 15 years with the , is moving on. The longtime punter to Chiefs fans via Instagram on Tuesday morning, and has since reported Kansas City is releasing the former Pro Bowler.There has already been some speculation Colquitt, who will turn 38 in May, is planning to retire following his departure from K.C., but that's not the case. Instead, the veteran will hit the open market, saving the Chiefs approximately $2 million in 2020 salary cap space.Colquitt was a staple of Chiefs special teams and, as Peli sero pointed out, wasn't even among the top 10 earners at his position entering the final year of his contract. With Kansas City tight against the 2020 cap, however, with just over $3.5 million Maxim Tsyplakov Jersey  in space after the draft, his release seems like little more than a cap-saving maneuver. The team also just signed Florida's Tommy Townsend, a Ray Guy Award semifinalist and undrafted free agent, and earlier this offseason added , a Notre Dame product who spent the 2019 preseason with the .A third-round pick out of Tenne see in 2005, Colquitt earned two Pro Bowl nods during his 15 years in K.C., breaking just about every one of the franchise's major punting records. Active for all but two games throughout his career, he averaged nearly 45 yards per kick and earned three different contract extensions, at one point becoming the highest-paid punter in the NFL. Colquitt punted twice during the Chiefs' Super Bowl LIV victory in February, when he was the longest-tenured member of the team's roster.  Pat Lafontaine Jersey
#4
Start of 19th league Title or Start of being piped to the title againManchester Uniteds quest for a 19th title starts tonight when they take on newly promoted Newcastle United at Old Trafford tonight.  FormUnited go into the game with a good pre-season on their back, with five wins out of a po sible seven including a 3-1 battering of Chelsea in the FA Community Shield. Whereas, Newcastle have only won two games in all preseason against Carlisle United and Deportivo La Coruna (winning on penalties) and their most recent game was a defeat against Rangers.Team NewsUnited go into the game with no injuries picked up in preseason with Oberton likely to have recovered from his ankle injury picked up in the MLS All stars game earlier this month. The Reds also have two notable midfield injuries Anderson and Hargreaves. Sir Alex could also give home debuts to Chris Smalling and Javier Hernandez and even po sibly  Andrew Copp Jersey the Portuguese striker Bebe whose deal was completed earlier today. Newcastles new signings however are unlikely to feature as major signings: Sol Campbell and Dan Gosling are both unfit. In Addition to their signings being out, Best and Taylor look to be out with Smith being a doubt to return to his old club.Star ManName: Andrew Thomas CarrollAge: 21Team: Newcastle FCNumber: 9Transfer Fee:  N/APosition: Striker OfficialsChris Foy is the man in the middle tonight. The Merseysider has been refereeing in the English top flight since 2000 and took charge of the Reds four times last term. Foy will be hoping only one da Silva twin features against Newcastle  in a case of mistaken identity, he booked the wrong one at Oakwell last term. Its an easy mistake to makeLikely United TeamMan Utd: Van Der Sar, Rafael, Vidic, Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher, Nani, Rooney, BerbatovPredictionsScoreline: Man Utd 3-1 NewcastleOdds: Man Utd 2/9 Draw 5/1 Newcastle 12/1Man to watch: Javier Hernandez  Erik Gustafsson Jersey
#5
faces an uncertain future with the , with the team decreasing his role in the offense as the season progre sed. Johnson has lost his role as the featured back, being relegated to mop-up duty over the past several weeks.Johnson is owed $26.25 million over the next two years of his contract and is currently the fourth-highest paid running back in the league, so the Cardinals will have a decision to make on their high-priced backup. Cardinals general manager Steve Keim provided some insight on what the team plans with Johnson, even if he wasn't fully transparent."Those are the kind of conversations that will certainly be held internally," Keim said in the "Doug and Wolf" show on 98.7 FM, . "I'm not going to have them on the radio. I will say this: We'll take a deep dive into this roster and take a look at every guy. Not only their contract situation, but as I said earlier, identifying the core of players moving William Carrier Jersey  forward and making sure we can build around them."Johnson expre sed his frustration regarding his role in the Cardinals offense over the past several weeks. He's played just 73 snaps over the past four games since returning to the lineup in Week 10 from knee and ankle injuries. Head coach Kliff Kingsbury made Johnson the forgotten man in Arizona as he had just 13 carries for 38 yards during the stretch. Sunday was Johnson's most productive game since October, as he got three carries for 19 yards and two catches for 34 yards and a touchdown in 21 snaps, the majority of which came later in the game."Any NFL player, any competitor, if you're not on the field, you're obviously going to be upset about it," Johnson said earlier in the week. "I'm really just trying to finish this season off week by week. I'm really just trying to, like I've been saying, get back on that playing field."Johnson has 89 carries for 336 yards and two touchdowns this season, averaging 3.8 yards per carry. He also has 35 catches for 366 yards and four touchdowns, despite playing a limited role. The Cardinals may not be willing to give up on Johnson yet, especially since Kingsbury was impre sed with what he saw from him Sunday."He knows what he can be when he's playing at a high level, and I think everybody else does," Kingsbury said. "We've just got to keep him rolling and keep him in a groove."  Tyson Jost Jersey
#6
While many teams have come and gone through "Hard Knocks," only one voice has remained a constant.If the dulcet, velvety tones of the "Hard Knocks" narrator sounds familiar to you, it's because maybe you've watched "Ray Donovan," the "Scream" movies or  "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."That's because award-winning actor and frequent "Outstanding Narrator" nominee Liev Schreiber is the voice behind all of HBO's training camp documentaries, and has been since the show first aired in 2001.Schreiber has been partnered with HBO and the series for every season of the show, except in 2017, when another famous actor took the microphone. There was a good reason for the replacement, too.MORE:Here's what you need to know about Devils Store Jersey  Schreiber's long-running relationship with the network and the show.Critically acclaimed actor (and owner of one of the best voices in Hollywood) Liev Schreiber has been the narrator for "Hard Knocks" for all but one season of the show since 2001.There's only one season that Schreiber didn't narrate, which was in 2017. Instead, award-winning actor Paul Rudd took the microphone for the Chiefs' edition of "Hard Knocks." Rudd is a lifelong Chiefs fan., Schreiber weighed in on why he enjoys doing the voiceover work for the show:"I love that aspect of my work, I love the shows that they (HBO) do," Schreiber said then. "The writing is really everything. When you get someone that does that right, it's magic. I think in the great tradition of John Facenda and NFL Films, they were writing this really dramatic stuff. I think that kind of juxtaposition of athleticism and poetry is really fantastic."If you didn't recognize Schreiber's voice, don't worry: He says that many people don't realize that he's the voice behind the show.MORE: Schreiber has earned many Primetime Emmy nominations for "Outstanding Narrator" through his career, though not for his work on HBO's behind-the-scenes training camp series.He's earned nominations for the following series: "Muhammad Ali: Only One," "UConn: The March to Madne s," "24/7" and "The Many Lives of Nick Buoniconti."In 2022, Schreiber has some competition for Best Voice  that's being challenged by himself.  Brenden Dillon Jersey
#7
Serbians have every right to celebrate the nationistic pride that comes with their footballing teams succe s in reaching the World Cup finals. The break-up of the former Republic of Yugoslavia resulted in one of the bloodiest civil wars in recent history having a profound effect on every Serbian.Serbian fans will add colour and pa sion to the World CupAs Yugoslavia broke up into smaller states in the early 1990s, Serbia & Montenegro made up the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY). Perversely, the biggest impact made by FRY on international football was their disqualification from the 1992 European Championships Finals due to UN sanctions. Their place was taken by Denmark, who amazingly then went on to be crowned champions. In 2006 Montenegro gained independence, resulting in the formation of the state of Serbia as we know it today. Both UEFA and FIFA recognise Serbia to be the succe sor to Yugoslavia and have pa sed on all its history to Serbia.Prior to the political upheaval in the early 1990s Yugoslavia held a respectable reputation in the world game. In all they have qualified for 8 World Cups, making the semi finals twice and the quarter finals 4 times. They were one of only four European teams that appeared in the inaugural world cup held in Uruguay in 1930, sensationally qualifying from their group at the expense of Brazil, before losing to the hosts and eventual champions in the semi final. Yugoslavias next appearance in the World Cup was again to be in South America, this time Brazil in 1950. But there was to be no repeat of the 1930 heroics and they were knocked out in the group stage despite winning 2 of their 3 games.In 1954 Yugoslavias involvement ended in the quarter finals at the hands of subsequent champions West Germany. The West Germans knocked out the Yugoslavs again 4 years later at the same stage after Yugoslavia had qualified from their group unbeaten.The 1960s proved to be a golden era. In 1962 the World Cup was hosted by Chile and saw the Yugoslavs finish fourth with forward Draan Jerkovi sharing the Golden Boot after netting 4 times. After negotiating a tough group the Yugoslavs were again paired against West Germany in Kevin Stevens Jersey  the quarter finals. This time a late Petar Radakovi goal was enough to see Yugoslavia progre s. This set up an all Slavic semi-final clash with Czechoslovakia with the Czechs running out 3-1 winners. An interesting footnote to this match was the attendance of le s than 7,000, caused by the host nation pre suring FIFA to switch venues after Chiles unexpected run to the semi-final. Unfortunately Yugoslavia failed to build on this achievment, mi sing out on the next two finals.Keeping good company: Draan Jerkovi shared the 1962 golden boot with among others the great Garrincha of BrazilThe 1960s also saw succe s on the European stage. Yugoslavias record in the European Championships is one that even the most ardent England fan would be envious of, chalking up 2 final appearances in the 1960s either side of Englands 1966 World Cup succe s. In both games Yogoslavia came close to victory, losing to the USSR after extra time in 1960 and after a replay with Italy in 1968. A rare photo of the Yugoslavia starting XI for the 1968 European Championship Final against ItalyThenext 3 decades was ble sed with le s succe s with only quarter final appearances in 1974 and 1990, the latter ending on penalties at the hand(s) of Maradonas Argentina. This was also the last time that the team played as Yugoslavia at the finals.Serbias two appearances at the finals have been mixed, 1998 saw an elimination by Holland in the last 16. In 2006 they were again drawn against Holland, in the then proclaimed Group of Death alongside, Argentina and the Ivory Coast. After a narrow lo s to Holland in their first game came a 6-0 hammering at the hands of Argentina. The match will be remembered for a superb Argentine performance, epitomised by Esteban Cambia sos goal, which finished a move of 24 pa ses that was generally accepted as the best goal of the tournament. The defeat left the final game against the Ivory Coast meaningle s. A 3-2 reverse, despite at one time leading 2-0 left Serbia bottom of their qualifying group.From bad to worse: Already 3-0 down to Argentina, Mateja Kezman is sent of for this lunge at Javier MascheranoSerbia supporters should arrive in South Africa confident that their team can make an impact on the world stage. Under the tutor ledge of the vastly experienced and by many highly regarded Raddy Antic they are playing attractive, attacking football and a quarter final place is a realistic goal.I for one look forward to watching them over the coming weeks, and with a potential meeting in the last 16, Mr Capello beware.  Dan Quinn Jersey
#8
The have cut ties with a key run defender who has started 25 games over Nikita Zadorov Jersey  the past two years.The team released veteran defensive tackle on Saturday.Roster cuts trackerNFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53 players on Saturday. Around The NFL reports on each team's moves. Vickerson, 31, started alongside until a ended his season in late November. He was replaced by 2013 first-round draft pick , who is now entrenched as a starter.The eight-year veteran's fate was sealed when former ' second-round draft pick began turning heads in offseason and training-camp practices. The "love" Austin, who has been , confirms NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport.Vickerson is free to sign with any team in need of a rotational run-plugger.The also waived safety and rookie linebacker . Ihenacho started 14 games last season, but was made expendable by the ' of .You can track all the cuts as NFL teams reduce their rosters to 53 .The latest "" hands out the and predicts the major winners of the regular-season awards.  Mark Kastelic Jersey
#9
Anyone holding out hope rookie would miraculously play in Week 1 can stop foolishly holding their breath. The No. 13 overall pick in the draft has officially been ruled out of against the . Beckham has been dealing with a hamstring injury throughout training camp and preseason. He did not practice this week and coach previously pegged Beckham as two to three weeks from returning. Considered an NFL-ready route runner, Beckham's nagging injury situation has left a frustrated Coughlin in a permanent state of rouge-face. On the plus-side, the declared guard (back) probable. If Mosley  Georgi Romanov Jersey can go, it's a big plus considering left guard (toe) is out. If Mosley can't play, the will send out rookie to face .Some other injury news we are tracking on Saturday: might be without his top target on . tight end is listed as questionable for their game against the . Gates injured his hamstring during practice on Saturday. The ruled out receiver . The wideout was previously listed as questionable with a quad injury. The positive to Stills being out is that we should see more of rookie , who has looked dynamic in a jersey.The also downgraded receiver (hamstring) . strong safety is doubtful for Monday's game against the with neck and knee injuries, official web site, which also says that veteran likely would play for Ihedigbo. safety (shoulder) is out for against the .Defensive lineman will mi s the ' at Kansas City on Sunday.The latest "" and previews every game.  Sharks Custom Jersey
#10
There's a list of absences the are attempting to work through on both offense and defense, all due to a variety of injuries, but they'll now be without a linebacker for an entirely different reason. , a second-year talent who's been relegated to special teams under Mike McCarthy, has been suspended Teuvo Teravainen Jersey  two games by the NFL for violating the league's PED policy -- sources confirm to CBS Sports.The shortened suspension is directly linked to the new collective bargaining agreement, and hints strongly at it being Gifford's first offense and likely for either a masking agent or league-banned stimulant. Gifford will be eligible to return to the team on Dec. 4, following the meeting with the , putting him in line to return to live action for Week 14 against the .His suspension puts a dent in the depth at linebacker, but more so in the special teams unit, where he's logged 121 snaps (43%) this season. He's taken just one defensive snap all year, but remained at the ready in case of injury at the position.A former undrafted free agent in 2019, Gifford came on strong in his rookie preseason with the Cowboys, hinting at a potential seat on the final roster before suffering a high ankle sprain that cost him time. The Cowboys opted to retain his rights with the hopes of seeing more, but his return in Week 6 of 2019 saw him held to special teams, where he'd spend the remainder of the season before suffering a broken arm in Week 15 that ended his season -- having participated in six games as a rookie.The former Nebraska standout has been healthy in Year 2 but still unable to crack into the defensive rotation, and his suspension won't do him any favors when it comes to building rapport with McCarthy and his staff.  Connor Murphy Jersey
#11
As the dust settles, the smoke clears and Boro fans emerge from the wreckage of the past five months, we can look forward instead of back towards the new season with new found clarity and hope. Put kindly, last season was a write off. We were cruelly led to believe that we stood a chance of promotion for a large part of the campaign and then a horrendous run of results throughout 2013 left us languishing in the lower echelons of the table. Its been pretty hard to stomach but its time to move on.Personally, it has been really tough to enjoy football in general these past few months and watching the playoffs I just had an overwhelming sense of jealousy. I wanted to be happy for the teams that will make the final, the dramatic fashion in which Watford have made it is unbelievable, however I felt bitter, jealous and couldnt enjoy the matches in the same way because of the tainted way in which Boro have made me view the sport in recent months. This has been true of all matches since January if Im honest. I havent looked forward to the televised games as much as I used to and particularly with the playoffs I couldnt help thinking It should have been us. No team has dropped so many points from such a high standing before and wont for a while Todd Bertuzzi Jersey  to come. You can probably sense the tone of the article is fairly dark and the self-depreciative humour that is synonymous with Boro fans I think has all but disappeared to genuine feelings of bitterne s and disappointment over the past season. As I have said though, we need to move on and the pre-season affords us time to heal.Usually I dread pre-season. As much as I will enjoy the Ashes and the Under 21 Euro tournament the fact is its not the same without football. Thank God for that! As a club, players, staff and fans I think we need this break more than ever. Weve gone through some dark times at our football club and we are still going strong. We are financially stable and if rumours are to be believed our rather sizeable wage bill is getting sliced again. Nine departures already suggest a scope to bring in players of a better quality than those that are leaving. The past five months have been really hard to take, but it doesnt get much worse than that. There will have been le sons learned in that time. We will know more about the young men in our squad, their bottle and their determination, than if we had continued to ease our way to results like we did in the first half. What we will know now is who has the heart and desire to put the tackles in and show that extra will when the chips are down. There will have been some players weeded out as a result of this poor form but at least we know now. Would I have loved a slightly more comfortable finish to the season? Of course I would, but what we have experienced now is football at its cruellest. Boys from the academy will have grown into men through this time and I will stre s again, those who cant hack it when its not going well will have been found out. Its time now to use that knowledge to build a better squad with stronger character that can stand up to the challenge. Lets not kid ourselves; it wasnt through a lack of ability that we found ourselves in that position. We were nearly top at the half way point. It was a lack of mental strength that led to our dropping like a stone. We at least now know which players have what it takes mentally.This summer will be one of change and our squad will no doubt have a number of new faces. There will be changing identities within the squad and an opportunity as a club to forge our own identity, one with togetherne s between fans, players and manager. This is a relationship that has become fragile and fragmented over the course of this year. We need to decide how we want to play, our system, our style and stick to it. I couldnt even name our formation last season, never mind our best eleven. Lets establish an identity as a club and let people worry about Middlesbrough Football Club instead of pandering to their strengths and weakne ses. Together well grow stronger because of the past season and if we can make the right changes, you never know what could happen next year.  Jim Benning Jersey
#12
Last season, and the fell just short of making the Super Bowl.Now, the star offensive tackle has one goal in mind."We need it all. I had a conversation with after we found out that we were getting the contracts and going to sign, that's our goal is to host that trophy at the end of the day and to just do that," , according to the Detroit Free Pre s. "Just to win, bro. There's nothing else to it. All those individual accolades don't mean nothing. I want the big boy and I want it now."The Lions are coming off a 12-5 season that saw them win the NFC North for the first time in franchise history and then win two home playoff games before losing to the in the NFC Championship Game.ADVERTISEMENT  Detroit blew a 17-point halftime lead to San Francisco in the aforementioned game. Lions quarterback recently expre sed that the crushing lo s gave them " Jonny Brodzinski Jersey "Is Dan Campbell receiving too much hate for the Lions' NFC Championship Game lo s?      Sewell, a one-time All-Pro and two-time Pro Bowler, has mi sed just one game over his three-year career, while recently signing a with the Lions. Meanwhile, Detroit also inked St. Brown to a .Sewell was part of an electric Detroit offense that averaged 258.9 pa sing yards (second in the NFL), 135.9 rushing yards (fifth), 394.8 total yards (third) and 27.1 points (fifth) per game in the regular season.The Lions made it a point to improve their defense this offseason after allowing 336.1 yards per game in 2023. The team added former Bengals DT and former Saints DE up front, while also trading for former Buccaneers CB . The Lions then traded up in last week's NFL Draft to select Alabama standout DB in the first round with the No. 24 overall pick, and then selected Mi souri DB . in the second round (No. 61 overall). Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily.  FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience  National Football League  Detroit Lions  Penei Sewell  Filip Chytil Jersey
#13
As long as they still have each other, they're still going to go to every Super Bowl.That's the sentiment shared by three friends who say they are the final fans who can claim membership in the exclusive "never mi sed a Super Bowl" club. And they're back again for number 58  Super Bowl 58  this year.The three fans, all in their 80s, are Don Crisman of Maine, Gregory Eaton of Michigan and Tom Henschel, who splits time between Florida and Pennsylvania. The three are gathering this weekend in Las Vegas for the big game, and they're hoping they can all make it to the sixtieth edition of the game two years from now.The fans have sat together at the Super Bowl before, and they were still trying to make last-minute arrangements to do R.J. Proctor Jersey  that for this year's game this week. At the very least, they will get together for brunch on Friday, as always.ADVERTISEMENT  Eaton, 84, who runs a ground transportation company in Detroit, has been especially invested in this year's football playoffs, as his beloved won playoff games for the first time in more than three decades. The Lions fell just short of qualifying for their first Super Bowl, but Eaton said getting together with retirees Crisman, 87, and Henschel, 82, is the real draw of going to the big game year after year."Yeah, I'm a Lions fan," Eaton said. "But in two years, I just hope I'll be in good shape to be there again."The men have attended every game since the first AFL- World Championship Game, the forerunner to the modern Super Bowl, took place in Los Angeles in 1967. is at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Sunday.Crisman and Henschel first met at the 1983 Super Bowl, but they didn't meet Eaton until the mid-2010s. The fans that they might be getting ready to let the tradition go, but every year they decide to do it again.Can Kyle Shanahan outcoach Andy Reid in Super Bowl rematch?      They're part of an ever-dwindling group of people who have attended every Super Bowl that has also included media members, football executives, groundskeepers and others. Norma Hunt, wife of late football pioneer Lamar Hunt, was the until she died in June.The fans all said the one thing that could keep them from attending is if they or one of the other two was not healthy enough or mobile enough to do it. Health concerns have cropped up for all of them in recent years, but they all said they're feeling well enough to go this year and planning on the next two."I think that might be the factor that would definitely tip it," Crisman said. "I'm not looking to be the survivor. I just go for the fun, and the guys. We'll see what this year brings and addre s it in December '24."The three men have witne sed all the most iconic moments in Super Bowl history, but some of their most cherished memories of the game are a little more personal than David Tyree's "helmet catch" in Super Bowl 42 or Scott Norwood's mi sed field goal in Super Bowl 25. Crisman's home is adorned with Super Bowl ephemera, right down to a collectible hat commemorating the first Bud Bowl, a promotion about beer that ran during Super Bowl 23 in 1989.Eaton fondly remembers he got his tickets to the first Super Bowl from a friend from Michigan State University, Herb Adderley, who played for the . Henschel recalls being especially excited for Super Bowl 3 because quarterback Joe Namath, like himself, was from the Pittsburgh area.Patrick Mahomes, Brock Purdy are Under Dure s ahead of Super Bowl LVIII      Crisman hadn't yet acquired tickets for this year's game as of mid-January, when telecommunications giant Verizon surprised him with complementary pa ses for himself and his daughter, Susan Metevier. Getting to Las Vegas will be much easier than his trip to Super Bowl 2 in 1968, which involved a 24-hour train ride to Miami.The three men reminisce fondly about the era when it was po sible to get a ticket to the big game for $8. Henschel recalls getting a face-value ticket to Super Bowl 3 for $12 on the day of the game. This year, the cheapest tickets available are more than $7,000.Henschel, a fan, has a friendly rivalry with Crisman, a fan, as the two teams have met frequently in the playoffs over the years.This year, the Patriots failed to contend, and the Steelers made an early playoff exit. But old traditions die hard, Henschel said."It's funny because Don and I, he hates the Steelers and I hate the Patriots," Henschel said. "Every time we see each other for the first time, we give each other the finger."It'll happen again this year. And they hope at least a couple more times after that.Reporting by The A sociated Pre s.  Sean Woods Jersey
#14
Former quarterback Andrew Luck's career could have taken an entirely different turn.The star quarterback coming out of Stanford had his fate sealed when the Colts parted ways with Peyton Manning during the 2012 offseason, but there's an alternate history where he's rocking Kelly Green instead. Alec Taylor Jersey According to , the Eagles "tried manically to trade up" to the No. 1 pick to get Luck during the offseason."One thing I also know isnow this isn't a bold takebut they had a really high grade on Andrew Luck and they tried manically to trade up that year. Obviously, Indianapolis wasn't moving off that pick," Berman said. "But I think they were hoping the Colts would bring Peyton back and they could trade for the No. 1 pick."The Eagles would've had to move from No. 15 to No. 1 in that draft to get Luck so it would have been an extremely difficult endeavor.Considering the Eagles signed Michael Vick to a $100 million contract during the prior offseason, that certainly would have made headlines.But Luck working with Andy Reid? That duo might have run the league for a decade.There have been plenty of "What Ifs" when it comes to Luck's career. Now, we can add him playing for Philly to the list.For the best and latest Indianapolis Colts news and analysis, check out ourevery day.  Cameron Johnston Jersey
#15
If you're of a certain age, then you'll remember those promotions for FM hard rock radio stations in fine cities acro s the nation. You know, in the days before satellite radio."Lock it in and rip off the dial!"RELATED: NFL Coach of the Year odds, Dan Campbell favoriteYou could apply that same slogan to FOX this weekend.ADVERTISEMENT  For those getting involved with the Week 13 odds market, three of the most intriguing games are on FOX, including Saturday's ma sive - showdown.And with it being the long Thanksgiving weekend, of course the Week 12 odds board is brimming with options, too.So let's get to it, as oddsmakers and sharp bettors dive into this week's NFL and college football betting nuggets.Big Game at The Big HouseThe Big Noon Kickoff on FOX couldn't be much bigger this week. Ohio State visits Michigan at noon ET Saturday (), with the winner advancing to the Big Ten Championship Game and staying well on track in the College Football Playoff odds market.Both teams are 11-0 straight up (SU), but both are average against the spread (ATS), with the Buckeyes 6-4-1 and Michigan 5-5-1.Perhaps surprisingly, early bettors at PointsBet are on road underdog Ohio State. Michigan opened as a 4-point favorite Sunday and has been at -3.5 since Monday. Point-spread ticket count is 2-to-1 and point-spread money 4-1 on the Buckeyes."Bettors are backing the Buckeyes, thus, our liability sits with Ohio State for the spread and moneyline," PointsBet trader Ethan Useloff said. "The spread has begun to approach the field-goal threshold, with the public liking the value Ohio State yields."At 3.5, that's a decent margin for two teams that appear somewhat evenly matched. So expect this to continue to move as the market becomes more efficient."RJ Young previews No. 2 Ohio State at No. 3 Michigan       Keep It Locked On FOXOhio State-Michigan is the middle of a big three-game college football bonanza on FOX. At 8:30 p.m. ET Friday, visits (), and at 4 p.m. ET Saturday  right after the Buckeyes-Wolverines tilt  hosts ().Oregon (10-1 SU/9-1-1 ATS) is looking for one more big win before a Pac-12 Championship duel with Washington. Oregon State (8-3 SU/6-5 ATS) is nearly a two-touchdown underdog. But it's worth noting that the Beavers' three lo ses have come by a combined eight points, including a 22-20 home lo s to Washington last week.Early bettors think there's underdog value. Spread tickets are running almost 2-1 and spread money 4-1 on Oregon State, as Oregon has moved from -14 to -13.5 at PointsBet. But the Beavers will have their hands full against Heisman Trophy candidate ."Nix has proven himself as an upper-echelon pa ser over the past two months, accounting for 28 TDs while throwing just one INT in his previous seven games," Useloff said. "The Beavers will try to play spoiler and shake off the narrow defeat against Washington last week, and bettors like Oregon State to cover the spread of le s than two TDs. This may cause the spread to shift more in favor of the Beavers."The liability is on the side of Oregon State and may continue to mount."Washington (11-0 SU/6-4-1 ATS) is an even larger favorite, but the line has come down for that matchup, as well. The Huskies opened -17 and dropped to -16 at PointsBet. Point-spread ticket count is 2-1 for Washington, but point-spread money  skewed by one large bet on Washington State  is running 95% to the underdog Cougars."The Huskies need to keep their momentum, as they leapt this week into the coveted fourth spot in the CFP rankings," Useloff said. "Despite Washington having a Pac-12 Championship Game berth secured, the market is dictating the Huskies shouldn't overlook the Apple Cup, as the spread has slightly shortened."Washington failing to cover en route to winning outright would be a poor outcome for the book."In other words, PointsBet is rooting for a Huskies win and cover.On-Campus Sharp SideOne element that separates sharp bettors from the public betting ma ses is a keener sense of when to stay away from games. Such is the case this week for college football betting expert . He's not jumping on any of these marquee matchups, as those games don't provide value.Instead, Stone is on two much more nondescript matchups. The first: (5-6 SU) against rival (3-8 SU) in the Commonwealth Clash. Va Tech is a 3.5-point favorite, and Stone is on the home underdog at +3.5."Virginia lost all five of its games in the month of September, but has rebounded nicely to win three of its past six contests," Stone said. "The Cavaliers have been competitive against some of the better teams on their schedule, and I believe they'll beat the Hokies outright on Saturday."Stone is staying in the ACC, and with another underdog, in the - matchup. The Hurricanes are 8.5-point road favorites, and Stone pointed out that Miami has failed to cover the spread in its last seven games as a road favorite of 10 or fewer. He also noted the temperature will be an un-Miami-like 47 degrees in Boston, with winds of 10-15  Soccer Jersey mph."Miami has lost its last three games and now has to travel to the Eastern seaboard as a road favorite in late November," Stone said. "Boston College almost upset highly ranked Florida State back in Week 3  the Seminoles won 31-29  and I think the Eagles will keep it close here and perhaps emerge victorious."So mark down Stone for BC +8.5 this week.Should Dak Prescott, Cowboys be concerned about Sam Howell, Commanders?      Turkey Day TrioOver at Fanatics Sportsbook, senior director of trading risk Chris Fargis served up the Thanksgiving platter, touching on all three NFL games. Turkey Day kicks off with - at 12:30 p.m. ET (), and the line has bounced around a bit on this game.Fanatics opened Detroit -7 Sunday and climbed to -8 by Tuesday afternoon. That -8 didn't last long, though, with the Lions receding to -7.5. Still, Detroit is not only a popular point-spread bet, but is also taking moneyline parlay action."Lions moneyline is the most popular parlay selection right now, and to score a TD is the most popular single-game parlay selection," Fargis said, alluding to the Detroit running back. "Needle s to say, the book will need the Packers on Thursday in the early game."In fact, a Packers upset would absolutely make bookmakers' day.The middle of this turkey sandwich of games pits the at the . Dallas opened as a 10.5-point favorite at Fanatics."The spread is all the way up to -12, as Fanatics customers pile into the Cowboys," Fargis said, before touching on player props/single-game parlay markets. " is the most popular player, as customers look for him to continue his recent torrid pace."Prior to Lamb's nominal game against in Week 11  six catches for 38 yards and a TD  he had four straight games of 117 yards or more, including 191 yards in a Week 9 lo s at .In the - nightcap, San Francisco spent the early part of the week bouncing between -7 and -6.5 at Fanatics. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Niners stood at -7 (-115, bet $10 to win $18.70 total). And like the Lions, the Niners are huge in moneyline parlays. Bettors are going for the three-turkey-leg moneyline parlay of Thanksgiving favorites, to be sure."Ninety-two percent of moneyline bets are on the Niners on the road here. Customers are heaping the Thursday moneyline favorites into their parlays like it was stuffing and mashed potatoes," Fargis said.NFL Sharp SideProfe sional bettor Randy McKay is starting his NFL week with a two-team 6-point teaser, tying Lions -1.5 vs. Packers to +8.5 at the on Sunday."Detroit got by last week, and it was not the Lions' best effort. Expect them to be fully focused," McKay said. "As for Cleveland, that's a low total (35), with a strong Browns defense against a limited offensive team in Denver."McKay also likes -2.5 vs. the , who are on the road for a second straight week."Indy is coming off a bye, while Tampa had to play a tough San Fran team on the road. Tampa has a low-rated offensive line vs. the Colts' strong defensive line, which I believe will create a mismatch," McKay said.McKay is also on +9.5 against the visiting ."K.C.'s offense has struggled with drops and second-half adjustments throughout the season," he said. "Las Vegas' defense is very underrated with & Co. I think the Raiders keep it close here and maybe have a shot to win."Back To SchoolUseloff looked into two more games on the college football Week 13 oddsboard: - in the Iron Bowl; and a Sunshine State showdown between Florida State and .Alabama (10-1 SU) still harbors College Football Playoff hopes and needs to show well against its archrival. Oddsmakers expect that, with the Crimson Tide 14-point favorites at PointsBet. But that number is actually down from the Alabama -14.5 opener and -15 high point on Monday.Still, early ticket count is 2-1 and early money 3-1-plus Bama on the spread."The Tigers infamously paid almost $2 million, only to get walloped last Saturday by three scores at Jordan-Hare Stadium," Useloff said, alluding to Auburn's shocking 31-10 lo s as a 25-point favorite. "Lucky for Auburn, it can upset the Crimson Tide's playoff hopes at home and put that defeat in the past."As for Alabama, it has slim margin for error after crumbling to at Bryant-Denny Stadium in September. Given how the College Football Playoff is shaping up, Alabama must win this matchup decisively, which is inspiring spread bettors to take the Tide. This may move the line toward Bama and the next relevant football number of 17."Florida State (11-0 SU) is in a precarious CFP position, as well, after quarterback suffered a season-ending leg injury last week. The Seminoles actually trailed FCS foe 13-0 in the first quarter, but scored 58 straight points  all after Travis' exit  in a 58-13 victory.Still, the playoff committee dropped the Seminoles from No. 4 to No. 5 this week, and if that opinion persists, an unbeaten Noles outfit could mi s the CFP.That makes Saturday night's clash at the Swamp extremely important. PointsBet opened Florida State -7 (even) and is down a tick to Seminoles -6.5. At midweek, Florida State is taking a modest majority of 54% of spread tickets, but those bets are translating into 87% of spread money."Last Saturday night in Tallaha see was nothing short of disastrous," Useloff said of the Travis injury. "Florida State was able to overcome the early 13-0 deficit to score 58 unanswered points behind backup QB , Mike Norvell's first commitment. The redshirt junior will have to overcome a barrage of naysayers, beginning with the College Football Playoff committee."Bettors like FSU to cover by the current spread of just inside a touchdown at 6.5."Useloff suggested this line could return to the opener of Florida State -7 and perhaps even go beyond that number by the weekend.Who's really to blame for Chiefs' Monday Night Football lo s to Eagles?      I Like Big Bets and I Cannot LieThere's not much in the way of major wagers reported yet on NFL Week 12 or college football Week 13. But no question, there will be plenty of cash flying around this weekend.Being that it's Thanksgiving week, how about some leftovers from the NFL Week 11 finale between the Eagles and Chiefs? The Super Bowl rematch Monday night brought two of the bigger wagers we've seen this season.And the bets came from one BetMGM customer, at the Beau Rivage sportsbook in Biloxi, Mi si sippi, which has a propensity to take such action. Sportsbook manager Carl Johnson said a customer showed up Monday afternoon and placed $1.075 million in bets.The first wager: $525,000 on Eagles +2.5 (-105). That was a monster winner, as the Eagles took down the Chiefs 21-17. The bettor profited $500,000, for a total payout of $1.025 million.However, the second bet was $550,000 on Over 45.5. The game fell more than a touchdown short of that number. So that was a $550,000 lo s. Add it all up, and the high roller lost $50,000 between the two wagers.As for us average Joes and Janes, that's just another reminder to keep it reasonable. Maybe place 20 bucks on that aforementioned three-turkey-leg moneyline parlay of Lions/Cowboys/49ers. You and everybody else will have that on Thanksgiving.Enjoy the football-betting weekend!Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for VegasInsider.com. He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He's based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on Twitter: @PatrickE_Vegas  South America Jersey