Place an Ad Calendars Classified Forums Sports Weather

sptimes.com Text-only News sections Arts & Entertainment AP The Wire Business Citrus County Columnists Floridian Hernando County Hillsborough Letters Movies Neighborhood Times News Update North Pinellas North of Tampa Obituaries Opinion Pasco County South Pinellas Sports State Tampa Bay TV Times World & Nation  Find your local news section Weekly sections Brandon Times City Times Homes Outdoors Perspective Personal Tech Taste Travel Weekend Xpress Special Sections Arena football Buccaneers College football Devil Rays Lightning Police reports Schools Seniority Subscriber Services Subscribe Renew Help Advertise Place an ad In print Online Market Info Join Us Internships Scholarships Times Jobs Contact us

St. Louis emerges as clear favorite

Even a win that put the Patriots into the Super Bowl didn't impress the sports books in Las Vegas.

Bettors eager to put money on the Patriots against the Rams got as many as 16 points in early betting Sunday before the line settled in with the Rams a 14-point favorite.

It's familiar territory for the Patriots, who were 14-point underdogs the last time they were in the Super Bowl five years ago. The oddsmakers were on target in that game, won 35-21 by the Packers.

At the Stardust hotel, oddsmaker Joe Lupo opened the Rams a 15 1/2-point favorite just as the final seconds ticked off the clock in the Rams-Eagles NFC title game in St. Louis.

Bettors quickly jumped on the spread, sending it down a point.

"We were looking for a number with good two-way action and I think we got it," Lupo said. "The feeling is the Patriots won't be as good next week in a dome."

Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which sets the odds for most Las Vegas books, opened the Super Bowl with the Rams a 16-point favorite before it was bet down.

The over-under in most books was 521/2.

Both teams exactly matched the point spread the last time they each played in the Super Bowl. The Rams were seven-point favorites when they beat Tennessee 23-16 two years ago.

Oddsmakers had hoped for the Rams to play the Steelers. Lupo said the Rams would have been about a 10-point favorite against the Steelers.

Last year, Nevada's legal sports books won a record $11-million out of $67.7-million bet on the Ravens' win against the Giants.

IN CONTROL: When the Rams took control in the second half, they did it by keeping better ties on quarterback Donovan McNabb.

One of their most important weapons in that regard was running back Marshall Faulk.

"In the first half, we were just clicking on all cylinders," McNabb said. "Not to say we weren't clicking on all cylinders in the second half, (but) they controlled the time clock.

"What they were doing was just running the ball and having the time clock run out."

The Eagles went three-and-out on their first three possessions of the second half while the Rams were building a 29-17 lead. Philadelphia, which was 4-for-6 on third-down conversions in the first half, didn't pick up a first down after intermission until 5:40 remained in the game.

So what made the difference?

Defensive end Grant Wistrom said there was more of a commitment to the pass rush. McNabb was hurried during all three of those three-and-outs.

"We just got more aggressive with our pass rush out there. That was the main thing," Wistrom said. "We were trying to bull-rush people and get upfield. He's a great quarterback but when you do things like that, it hamstrings you."

SIDELINED, BRIEFLY: Rams All-Pro tackle Orlando Pace injured his right knee when he was sandwiched between two defenders in the first quarter.

The preliminary diagnosis of Pace's injury, which occurred at the end of a pass play, was a sprained ligament. After several minutes of observation at a sideline table, Pace walked without a limp to the locker room.

Pace re-entered the game midway through the second quarter after missing about 10 plays. He tested the knee on the sideline blocking against teammate Ryan Pickett.

Pace was replaced by Ryan Tucker, who missed last week's playoff victory against the Packers with a sprained ankle. Tucker played right tackle, his usual position, and Rod Jones moved to the left side in Pace's spot.

Jones moved back to right tackle when Pace re-entered the game.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • Tampa Bay Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright