Preseason finale a chance for Packers' backup QBs

Football Betting Lines

09/01/2010 -

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) - Aaron Rodgers knows from experience that it isn't easy to live life as an understudy in the NFL.

Now that Rodgers finally has broken free from Brett Favre's shadow to become an elite starting quarterback, he sees a little bit of his former self in Green Bay Packers backup Matt Flynn: a guy willing to do what it takes to prepare as if he's the starter every week, knowing that he might never play.

``I was telling a friend this summer, I couldn't think of a better backup, because it's tough to be a backup,'' Rodgers said. ``You have to have the right personality, the right attitude and find ways to be a leader but also be very supportive. He's one of my best friends on this team, and he's improved and done a great job.''

If everything goes according to plan for the Packers, Thursday night's preseason finale in Kansas City will be the last time anybody sees Flynn at quarterback for a while.

Still, Flynn must be ready to step in if called upon, so he and the rest of the Packers' No. 2 offense see the game as a significant chance to sharpen their skills.

``It's definitely a big week and a week that I think all of the 'twos' look forward to,'' Flynn said. ``We're going to get more reps than we have all camp and any of the games, so it's something to look forward to. We're going to have a lot of fun and hopefully go out there and execute and put up some points.''

Meanwhile, No. 3 quarterback Graham Harrell has shown steady improvement during training camp and could use Thursday's game to solidify his spot on the team - even if it's just on the practice squad.

Harrell was a record-setting quarterback at Texas Tech, but couldn't get an extended, serious look in the NFL until now.

``I've always thought I was able to play at this level, and I just thought sooner or later I'll get a shot to do it,'' Harrell said. ``The more success I have here and the more comfortable I get in this offense and on this team, the more confidence I get and the more drive or reassurance I have that yeah, I can play on this level. I am good enough, and quarterbacks from spread systems can succeed in the NFL, and it's been a very positive experience so far, and I hope to continue to improve and do whatever it is that they ask me to do.''

In Harrell's case, that could be a stint on the practice squad.

The Packers only kept two quarterbacks, Flynn and Rodgers, on their roster last season.

Given Rodgers' durability and a logjam at other positions, including fullback and tight end, it stands to reason that the team will keep only two quarterbacks again.

``If they put me on the 53-man roster, obviously I'd be really happy about that,'' Harrell said. ``If they kept me on the practice squad, that's still a great opportunity to learn and continue to improve my game and learn a prostyle offense and get more comfortable in that.''

Flynn said he didn't have a sense of which way the team was leaning, but he has been impressed by Harrell.

``He's picked it up very fast and the guy can play football,'' Flynn said. ``He's been good, he's a fun guy to hang out with and be around having him in the locker room. He's done a really good job.''

Already known for his poise, Flynn spent the offseason working on his footwork and arm strength. But he said his biggest strides came in his overall knowledge of the offense.

``I think that really has the most to do with it, just being more comfortable with the offense, knowing what plays to check to against certain defenses and getting everyone in the right play,'' Flynn said. ``I feel like in the games and in practice too, we've done a real good job of it.''

It showed in last week's preseason romp over Indianapolis, as Flynn threw two touchdown passes. And after getting an extended look during Thursday's game, Flynn will once again become a backup.

He'll run the scout team, just like Rodgers did, and Rodgers will be counting on him for help in the film room.

``The toughest thing is trying to find a way to still be relevant on a team where you're not having any playing time,'' Rodgers said. ``But I think Matt's going to do a great job of that.''Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.

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Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Super Bowl XLIII, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Super Bowl XLIII is now set, the Arizona Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers will meet each other on February 1st in Tampa's Raymond James Stadium to battle it out for the coveted Lombardi Trophy. The game kicks off at 6:00pm ET on NBC with announcers Al Michaels and John Madden covering the on-field action. Super Bowl XLIII betting odds at online bookmaker MySportsbook.com have the Steelers listed as an early -6.5 against the spread favorite.Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds

Pittsburgh earned their passage to the big game by beating their division rival, the Baltimore Ravens, 23-14 in yesterday's AFC Championship Game. The Steelers jumped on Baltimore early, building a 13-0 first half lead, and never let up on their way to a fairly easy win. Although the Ravens did close to within two points in the fourth quarter, it never appeared as if they had enough offense to pull off the upset.

The Steelers dominating defense held Baltimore to a total of 198 yards while allowing them to convert just three third downs in 13 attempts. Pittsburgh also forced quarterback Joe Flacco into three interceptions, one of which safety Troy Polamalu returned fourty yards for a touchdown.

The Cardinals, by far the playoff team with the longest odds to reach Super Bowl XLIII, did so yesterday with a 32-25 upset of the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC Championship. Arizona charged out of the gates and built a 24-6 halftime lead that had the Eagles venerable defense reeling. Quarterback Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald did most of the damage, connecting on three first half touchdowns.

Arizona, however, could not sustain their momentum and the Eagles took a 25-24 with 10:45 left to play in the fourth. The Cardinals, with the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance hanging in the balance, mounted a fourteen play, 72 yard touchdown drive that consumed 7:52 off the clock. Warner hit running back Tim Hightower on a short screen for the go-ahead, game clinching score that will forever live in Cardinal infamy.

MySportsbook.com's Super Bowl XLIII Betting Odds:

Pittsburgh Steelers -6.5 (-110), Over 46.5 (-110), -260 (Money line)

Arizona Cardinals +6.5 (-110), Under 46.5 (-110), +220 (Money line)

Matt Foust won both of his conference championship plays yesterday and he is ready to serve up plenty of Super Bowl action. Each individual play costs $15.00, however, MySportsbook.com recommends purchasing Matt's NFL Playoff Package which includes all of Matt's Super Bowl props and picks from just $45.00.

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Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.