Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
The 2010 NFL preseason kicks off as the Cincinnati Bengals and Dallas Cowboys hook up in the annual Hall of Fame game.
Kick off time from Canton Ohio is scheduled for 8PM Eastern Time and you can watch it on NBC TV.
The LVSC NFL odds makers opened the point spread with the Dallas Cowboys as -3 point favorites with the over under lined at 35.
The early money from the NFL betting public has poured on the Bengals as Cincinnati is now a -2 ½ point favorite. The total saw movement downward to 32 ½ points.
Money line gamblers will find the Cincinnati Bengals at -130 odds with the Dallas Cowboys returning +115 odds to win the Hall of Fame game without the benefit of points on their side.
In preseason game number one the Cowboys starters would be expected to play anywhere from 1-3 series.
Starting quarterback Tony Romo should see few series on Sunday and is backed up by veteran quarterback Jon Kitna. Kitan should lead the team up until halftime. He has a career completion percentage of 59.8% with 152 touchdowns and 151 interceptions over a 14 year career.
2nd year quarterback Stephen McGee should lead the team through much of the second half. He is a fourth round 2009 draft pick from Texas A&M. He was not a heralded quarterback while in college. McGee has a lot to prove to the Dallas during the preseason whether he can be classified as the Cowboys quarterback of the future. In the 2009 preseason McGee in only 2 games completed 9 of 15 passes for 86 yards a touchdown and 0 interceptions.
Battling McGee for the #3 quarterback position is rookie Matt Nichols from Eastern Washington. Nichols is likely to get a look late in the fourth quarter.
The Cowboys were hit with injuries early in camp as first round wide receiver Dez Bryant is out for up to six weeks with an ankle injury. Defensive end Marcus Spears will miss up to six weeks with a sprained knee.
The Cincinnati Bengals return all three roster quarterbacks from 2009. Veteran Carson Palmer will get the start and much like Tony Romo expect no more than 3 series in the Hall of Fame game.
The backup in Cincinnati is 8 year veteran J.T. O’Sullivan. The Bengals backup saw significant action in the 2009 preseason and hit on a very good 28 of 39 for 358 yards three touchdowns and 0 interceptions in four games. O’Sullivan figures to play up until halftime and possibly into the third quarter.
The Bengals are only carrying three quarterbacks and the third string is Carson Palmers little brother Jordan Palmer. The three year veteran saw action in all 4 preseason games last season and completed 22 of 40 passes for 281 yards three touchdowns, three interceptions and 3 fumbles.
Cincinnati made news prior to the opening of camp as they signed veteran wide receiver Terrell Owens to a free agent contract. Owens is listed as the second string on the depth chart behind starters Chad Ochocinco and Antonio Bryant.
The line move makes sense here as the Bengals have more depth at the quarterback position and the receiver position with NFL veterans Matt Jones and Andre Caldwell as the #5 and #6 receivers. Veteran running back Brian Leonard is the clubs #3 running back.
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NFL Trend: Cincinnati is 11-20 ATS in their past 31 preseason favorite roles
Tags: Cincinnati bengals, dallas cowboys, hall of fame game, nbc tv, nfl betting, Odds, pick, preseason, preview
