Huge MNF matchup highlights Week 9
By John Clayton
ESPN.com

Indianapolis Colts at New England Patriots (ABC, Monday, 9 p.m. ET) Scouting reportMonday night's Colts-Patriots game is the most anticipated of the year, and there are some interesting twists to the rivalry this time around. For once, the Colts don't have everything to lose if they can't beat the Patriots.--football gambling--

Since 2003, the Colts and Patriots have met four times with something on the line, and the Patriots won all four. The regular-season losses cost the Colts the chance to play at home in the playoffs. The playoff losses propelled the Patriots to the Super Bowl.--football gambling--

This time, the Colts are 7-0 and the Patriots are 4-3. If the Colts lose, it's unlikely it would affect their chances of having home-field advantage over the Patriots in the playoffs. In some ways, that takes away some pressure from the Colts, whose offense tends to unravel when playing the Patriots. If anything, the pressure is on the Patriots. But not as much as you would think.--football gambling--

Bill Belichick realized once he got into the season that his team was in for a tough fight. The schedule was ridiculously tough, with a five-game stretch from Week 2 to Week 6 in which the Patriots faced five non-division teams that won an average of 11 games last season. The Patriots limped into their Week 7 bye at 3-3, with a roster damaged by injuries. They had lost safety Rodney Harrison, left tackle Matt Light and halfback Kevin Faulk. Their secondary was patched together weekly because of injuries. Defensive tackle Richard Seymour had missed games with a knee injury and running back Corey Dillon struggled with an ankle injury. --football gambling--

The Colts, meanwhile, have lived a charmed life. They have faced only one team that currently has a winning record, division rival Jacksonville. Their 7-0 record came at the expense of teams with a combined record of 17-34. But that has helped solidify the Colts' confidence. The defense fought through its own injuries but ranks fourth in the league for fewest yards allowed (277.9) and is allowing an NFL-low 11 points a game. --football gambling--

Perhaps the most interesting thing happening with the Colts is how they are responding to being "Belichicked" on offense. Opposing teams have copied what Belichick has done so often to the Colts' offense. Knowing how efficient Peyton Manning can be slicing a defense apart through the air, defenses have dropped seven and eight men into coverage, taking away Manning's ability to go downfield.--football gambling--

Under those circumstances, Manning has no chance to repeat his 49-touchdown season. No problem. Manning cares more about the seven wins than the seven points and he is content handing the ball off to Edgerrin James and letting James be the team's most valuable player in the first half of the season. James leads the NFL with 801 rushing yards because Manning is seeing so few defenders in the defensive box in front of him and simply handing the ball off to James.--football gambling--

The interesting twist in Monday night's game is what strategies Belichick comes up with this time against the Colts. How will the Patriots be able to execute them? Because of a lot of different factors, this hasn't been a typical Patriots defense. It's given up 128.4 yards a game on the ground. Problems in pass coverage have let the Patriots fall to 26th in the NFL in total defense (359.1 yards per game) and points allowed (25.7 per game).--football gambling--

The return of Tedy Bruschi came at a perfect time. His presence helped seal the victory over the Bills, the only true team left in the AFC East to challenge the Patriots for the division title. With that victory Sunday night, the Patriots took a 1½-game lead and shouldn't have to worry about winning the division. But despite Bruschi's presence, the Patriots still gave up 394 total yards and 147 rushing yards.--football gambling--

At this point, the Patriots' biggest concern is getting a higher playoff seed. But they seem to be destined to get a third or fourth seed, which would add an extra game to their bid to win a fourth Super Bowl.--football gambling--

No doubt, this game will be the biggest challenge to the Colts' defense. Despite problems running the ball because of injuries in the backfield, the Patriots remain explosive on offense with Tom Brady leading the way. He's better than ever. He's completing 63.1 percent of his passes and he's getting the ball downfield to David Givens and Deion Branch. --football gambling--

This has the chance to be a high-scoring game. The Patriots need to win just to keep the seeds of doubt in the minds of the Colts. If these teams meet again, it will be in the playoffs, probably in Indianapolis. Keeping doubt in the minds of the Colts' players is important, which is why Tony Dungy knows he needs to take advantage of the situation and get this victory.--football gambling--

He won't find a better time to beat the Patriots. They still haven't gotten their defense together. By January, it could be a different story because Belichick will find ways to get this defense to peak at some point. --football gambling--

In some ways, the Colts come into this game with nothing to lose, but they also come in with more to gain. If they win, they would have a four-game edge over the Patriots in the playoff standings. They would gain a slight psychological edge if they win. But the Patriots are the Patriots. They have been the obstacle the Colts haven't been able to jump to get to the next level. Can they jump it this week? --football gambling--

This game should be fascinating to watch. John Clayton is a senior writer for ESPN.com. --football gambling--

ADELSON ON FOOTBALL: Jets season has turned into a mess

HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (AP) - Jonathan Vilma comes from a school where expectations are always high, where trash talk is a way of life and winning is more of an eventuality than a fragile hope. -NFL Football-

So, naturally, the former University of Miami linebacker boasted about the expectations for his Jets team heading into 2005. After all, New York came within inches of the AFC championship game in January, when Doug Brien missed two field goals that would have beaten Pittsburgh. -NFL Football-

In a nationally televised interview during the summer, Vilma was asked to give the odds of the Patriots winning a third consecutive Super Bowl. His response: "I'd say a billion to one.'' -NFL Football-

What about the odds for the Jets? "A lot better than a billion to one,'' he said. -NFL Football-

Three months later, a billion to one seems frighteningly close. Three of the Jets' most important players are out for the season. The offense has forgotten what the end zone looks like, while the defense barely remembers how to tackle. What started as a season with high expectations has turned into a 2-5 nightmare. -NFL Football-

"It seems like we lost our way from last year to this year,'' cornerback David Barrett said about the defense. "Last year, we were more dominant, more aggressive, and way more patient. This year, it seems we're striding away from that. -NFL Football-

"We came in a little too relaxed, thinking it was just going to be a cakewalk. It's not happening that way.'' -NFL Football-

The seeds of disaster were planted long before Vilma went before the cameras. Losing franchise quarterback Chad Pennington, Pro Bowl center Kevin Mawae and defensive leader Eric Barton only compounded the situation. -NFL Football-

Go back to February, when Pennington had surgery to repair a torn right rotator cuff. Though he hurried through his rehab to be ready for the season opener, he clearly was not effective in the three games he got to play before his season ended in September with another right shoulder injury. -NFL Football-

The offensive woes have continued with 41-year-old Vinny Testaverde, signed when Pennington and backup Jay Fiedler got hurt. Even with Pennington, the Jets might be in the same situation because of four critical decisions they made in March and April. -NFL Football-

First, right tackle Kareem McKenzie left via free agency. Without McKenzie to anchor the right side, the line has been unimpressive. Guard Brandon Moore is the only player who has started in the same spot all season. The Jets have given up 25 sacks and have no ground game after Curtis Martin won the rushing title in 2004. Meanwhile, McKenzie's new team, the Giants, are 5-2 and in first place. -NFL Football-

Then the Jets traded speedster Santana Moss to Washington to get Laveranues Coles back. Moss is second in the league with 777 yards and has five touchdown receptions. Coles? He has 385 yards for the Jets and one touchdown reception. -NFL Football-

In April, the Jets shipped the No. 26 overall pick in the draft to Oakland for tight end Doug Jolley and a second-round pick. Both have been disappointments. Jolley has seven catches for 79 yards and his role has been diminished to the point that third-string rookie Joel Dreessen got more playing time in the team's last game in Atlanta. -NFL Football-

The second-round pick? Kicker Mike Nugent, taken to replace Brien and remove any reminders of the Steelers playoff loss, has shown some flaws, too, missing three of eight field goal attempts. The Raiders shipped the No. 26 pick to Seattle, which drafted a center - something the Jets could use now. -NFL Football-

Then there is the defense, ranked seventh last season. The Jets lost Jason Ferguson at tackle, but thought they were getting an upgrade at cornerback with Ty Law. Even Law has struggled, still fighting through the foot injury that sidelined him for most of last season. -NFL Football-

Missed tackles, blown assignments and too many long drives have hampered the Jets, though the ineffective offense has kept them on the field way too long. The team has three touchdowns passing. -NFL Football-

"Maybe the hype got to us a little bit,'' defensive end John Abraham said. "Maybe it did relax us a little bit. But there's still no reason for us to be 2-5.'' -NFL Football-

Whether the Jets can turn things around is irrelevant when it comes to planning for next season. They will be left with an aging corps on offense and a quarterback whose future is uncertain. The Jets will be forced to bring back Pennington because of his huge salary-cap number of $12 million, but they might ask him to defer some money. They need to bring in another quarterback to compete for the starting job. -NFL Football-

And what about Martin and Mawae. The 32-year-old Martin is due to count $8.1 million against the cap, and he might also be asked to take a cut. -NFL Football-

Mawae, 34, is due $4.5 million, so the Jets also must make a hard decision on him. This could be a vastly different Jets team in 2006. -NFL Football-

But for now, the Jets are worried about whether they can mount an unlikely run to Detroit. -NFL Football-

"You can't let your circumstances become a part of what you are,'' coach Herman Edwards said. "You have to find a way to get out of it.'' -NFL Football-

Jones In different world of NFL Monday, Oct 31, 2005 By Harry King ST. LOUIS - Used to the football in his hands and the media in his face, Matt Jones is in a different world. -NFL Football- Sunday afternoon, he stood in the Jacksonville dressing room to answer questions from an Arkie in town for an update on the former Razorback quarterback and a Little Rock-based television twosome. -NFL Football- Most of the media wanted Jacksonville quarterback Byron Leftwich, not Jones, who although never a great quote at Arkansas was a must for a post-game interviews because he seemed to be in the middle of every big play - good and bad - for more than three years. -NFL Football- One of a kind at Arkansas, Jones is one of 1,400-plus in the National Football League. -NFL Football- The Sunday St. Louis Post-Dispatch had a half-dozen stories on the St. Louis Rams vs. Jones' Jaguars and the only place Jones could be found was on the numerical roster. Yet, he is so appealing in his home state that hundreds of Arkansans made the trip north. -NFL Football- "Definitely cool," Jones said later with high praise for Razorback fans. -NFL Football- Just before leaving the field and ducking under the Ram-blue awning, he spotted an Arkansas football shirt and tossed the man one of his gray gloves. -NFL Football- Listed as the Jaguars No. 3 receiver and the backup for Reggie Williams on the depth chart, it is difficult for Arkansas fans to comprehend Jones being third on any list or backing up anybody. -NFL Football- In the 24-21 loss to the Rams, he had four catches for 38 yards, another game with meager personal numbers. -NFL Football- The second touchdown of his NFL life covered 15 yards and put the Jaguars ahead 21-17 in the third quarter. He kept the ball and trotted up the sidelines to the other side of the 50 before pitching it to an equipment manager. -NFL Football- That one might go to his parents, he said. The first one will probably be presented to his grandmother. -NFL Football- "It's memories ... something that's pretty cool," he said. -NFL Football- It's not the nuance of the position that is slowing Jones as much as it is gaining Leftwich's confidence. Through the first six games, Jones had caught 12 for 109. Sunday's game was his second with four catches and the TD pass was his longest reception. -NFL Football- He misses being a quarterback, but knows that wide receiver is his position in the NFL. His dad, Steve, will tell you that Matt has been surprised by the all-day, job-like routine of the big time. The daily dose of running has also been a surprise. -NFL Football- At Arkansas, Jones was less than diligent about practice. Coach Houston Nutt had no leverage with Jones and both of them knew it. -NFL Football- When Jacksonville started looking hard at drafting Jones, some of the staff visited with Nutt and he told him the truth. -NFL Football- Jones is learning to go hard all the time at practice, said Jacksonville wide receivers coach Steve Walters, and such a work ethic is mandatory for Jones to sell Leftwich. -NFL Football- "The quarterback has got to anticipate, got to get the ball gone before he comes out of the break," said Walters, a Razorback himself in 1969-70. -NFL Football- "It's kinda a matter of trust that he will be where he's supposed to be. He's gotta see you do it." -NFL Football- Jones should be encouraged that Leftwich tried for him on each of the Jaguar's final three plays. Linebacker Brandon Chillar dumped Jones on a second-down throw across the middle; the next one was a hair behind him, and the final toss was short when Jones went long. -NFL Football- Walters says Jones is making progress every week, but that it's only noticeable if you watch daily. "The biggest change is the work load, running hard and long every day and every play," Walters said. "He's got to get used to it." -NFL Football- "I'm so much better now than I was even at the end of two-a-days," Jones said, citing Jimmy Smith as a veteran worth watching. -NFL Football- Bending and stretching on the sideline, Jones got the cue for his appearance on the Jaguars' fourth play of the game. On third-and-6, he lined up in the slot to the left, started in motion to the right and then returned to his original spot where he jogged in place until the snap. He turned into the middle and was upended by safety Jerome Carter when Leftwich threw to him. -NFL Football- On the field for the second series, he ran a slant from the right side. On the same pattern from farther outside, Reggie Williams was the intended receiver, but he went down and stayed down. Jones stayed in and immediately screened cornerback DeJuan Groce on Fred Taylor's 71-yard touchdown run. -NFL Football- Midway through the first quarter, Jones caught his first pass, good for 9 yards, on a little out pattern. -NFL Football- In the first six games, his only touchdown came on a one-handed catch against Pittsburgh. Steelers coach Bill Cower argued that Jones did not have possession, but anybody who saw him dunk over the crossbar against Ole Miss last November knows his hands are plenty big enough for one-handed control. -NFL Football- He celebrated with a little jig and a spike. That might have been a bit of frustration because he gets single coverage most of the time and thinks he is open often. On Sunday, he said, "Some of my friends were asking me what I was going to do on my first touchdown pass and I just went ahead and spiked it. I haven't went to the Chad Johnson school of touchdown celebration so maybe I can get that in year two." -NFL Football- "He can make hard things look easy," Walters said. "He has great hands and great judgment skills. Nobody ever told Willie Mays how to get to the ball in deep left center, but he was there." -NFL Football- In the slot most of the time, Jones is off the line of scrimmage which makes it almost impossible for a defensive back to jam him. -NFL Football- "We'd like for them to get up and press him because he is such a big, strong guy," Walters said. -NFL Football- Walters, who graduated high school in Springdale and has a daughter in school at Arkansas, said he first heard about a "big tall guy faster than anybody else," when Jones was in the eighth grade at Van Buren. Walters said he told Jones that many people said the Jaguars were reaching when they picked him in the first round. -NFL Football- "A lot of people are betting against you," he told Jones, "betting you can't become a receiver. We wouldn't have drafted you if we didn't think you were going to be a great one. You will have to fight through some things and it won't happen overnight. Try not to get frustrated ... it just takes time." -NFL Football- ----- Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media Group's Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com.

Copyright © Arkansas News Bureau, 2003 - 2005

Denver
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Tatum Bell’s 127-yard, two-TD performance on just 12 carries against a strong Redskins defense in Week Five opened a lot of eyes around the league, but what has impressed those close to the team just as much has been his work in other, less noticeable areas. --- nfl ---
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Bell, known much more for his speed than his toughness, has gotten better at finishing his runs and has also improved in picking up blitzes — an area that had coaches concerned as recently as training camp. --- nfl ---
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Despite a gaudy yards-per-carry average, Bell is still considered a work in progress, and the Broncos would like to see him become more of a complete back and maintain his focus over long stretches. --- nfl ---
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Another issue in the way of Bell becoming the featured back is the trust the team has in Mike Anderson, and his knack for earning the tough yards between the tackles. --- nfl ---
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However, the Broncos prefer to decide on playing time for their backs based on the rhythm the offense is in, and if Bell continues to make strides, more opportunities will be coming his way.--- nfl ---
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Injury recap: RBs hit hard

Najeh Davenport broke his right ankle, Deuce McAllister is scheduled for an MRI exam on his knee, Julius Jones missed the second half and there's no telling what's wrong with Corey Dillon.

All told, it was a rough week for NFL running backs.

Davenport scored two touchdowns as a fill-in starter for the Green Bay Packers in their 52-3 win over the New Orleans Saints, but the big fourth-year back broke his right ankle after being dragged down on a 2-yard reception in the first half. - NFL Football -

"More than likely, the seriousness of this would take away his season this year," Packers coach Mike Sherman said. "That's very unfortunate. He was playing well at the time."

Davenport, who finished with 54 yards on 12 carries, later was carted to the locker room. His 1-yard and 4-yard TD runs were the Packers' first two touchdown runs this season.

Ahman Green, who was inactive with a thigh injury, said he expected to return after the upcoming bye week. Third-down back Tony Fisher will back him up.

Saints RB Deuce McAllister will get an MRI exam Oct. 10 on his right knee, which he sprained in the third quarter. He finished with 31 yards on 11 carries; Antowain Smith rushed 12 times for 36 yards in his absence. - NFL Football -

Dillon rushed for 106 yards before he went to the locker room with an undisclosed injury late in the game, though he returned to watch Adam Vinatieri's kick give New England a 31-28 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The Patriots, who are notoriously mum about the injury status of players, aren't likely to elaborate on Dillon until the Oct. 12 report is due.

Patrick Pass, Dillon's backup, had the first TD rushing of his career in the opening period, but Dillon was still playing at the time.

Jones gained 72 yards for the Cowboys in the first half against the Eagles but didn't play after the break because of an apparent ankle injury. With a 24-point lead at halftime, Dallas used rookie Tyson Thompson, who gained 75 yards en route to a 33-10 Cowboys victory.

Philadelphia defensive tackle Sam Rayburn sprained a knee ligament and tight end L.J. Smith sprained his left ankle in the game.

Chicago running back Thomas Jones rushed for 137 yards on 24 carries, but left midway through the fourth quarter with an injured right knee. Following the game, Jones said his knee felt better, and described the injury as "a bone bruise or something." - NFL Football -

Bears offensive tackle John Tait left the stadium in a walking boot with a sprained ankle.

Tampa Bay rookie running back Carnell "Cadillac" Williams was inactive against the New York Jets because of foot and hamstring injuries. Buccaneers coach Jon Gruden said after the 14-12 loss that Williams would be questionable going into practice for next week's game against Miami.

Also, Michael Clayton was limited in the game because of a sore shoulder and didn't catch a pass.

Williams tweaked his left hamstring in a 17-13 win over the Detroit Lions last week. He was replaced in the starting lineup by veteran Michael Pittman, who had 13 carries for 46 yards and seven receptions for 41 yards. - NFL Football -

Also inactive on the day were Falcons quarterback Michael Vick (knee), Cleveland WR Braylon Edwards (arm infection), Buccaneers safety Jermaine Phillips (thumb), Jets linebacker Eric Barton (sprained ankle), and Cincinnati WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (hand).

In Houston, Texans Pro Bowl receiver Andre Johnson strained his right calf in the first quarter against Tennessee. He remained on the sidelines after the injury and returned after halftime in street clothes. - NFL Football -

Falcons linebacker Edgerton Hartwell may be lost for the season after injuring his right Achilles' tendon. Hartwell was helped off the field late in the third quarter and carted to the locker room, his right foot dangling from the side. Ike Reese, known more for his work on special teams, finished the game at middle linebacker.

Atlanta coach Jim Mora said both Hartwell and backup cornerback Chris Cash are likely done for the season. Cash went out in the fourth quarter and was immediately taken to the locker room, possibly with a broken right arm. - NFL Football -

Lions receiver Roy Williams injured his left leg in the second quarter of Detroit's 35-17 win over Baltimore and was unable to return. Williams was hurt trying to catch defensive end Terrell Suggs after he intercepted a pass and returned it 38 yards.

The Lions began the game without starting receiver Charles Rogers, who was suspended earlier in the week for four games for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy.

In Buffalo, Miami backup linebacker Eddie Moore hurt his knee against the Bills and will have further tests this week. It's not clear when Moore was hurt, but he was not able to finish Miami's 20-14 loss. Dolphins coach Nick Saban did not provide an update on backup cornerback Eddie Jackson, who did not return after hurting his hamstring. - NFL Football -

Receiver David Boston was held out after his knee began swelling earlier this week. He had been listed as probable after being added to the injury report on Friday.

Seattle Seahawks strong safety Michael Boulware was removed from the field on a stretcher midway through the second quarter of a 37-31 win over the St. Louis Rams after hurting his lower back. He was taken to a hospital for precautionary X-rays, which didn't reveal any significant damage. - NFL Football -

Rams coach Mike Martz was on the sideline calling plays after missing two practices last week while undergoing tests for a bacterial infection of a heart valve, and began taking antibiotics Oct. 7.

Indianapolis Colts safety Bob Sanders left the Colts' 28-3 win over San Francisco with an "arm injury," according to coach Tony Dungy. - NFL Football -

© 2005, NFL Enterprises LLC.

Mexico loves NFL gambling even if it's tepid toward Cardinals

By Chris Hawley, The Arizona Republic

MEXICO CITY — When the Arizona Cardinals and the San Francisco 49ers play in Mexico City on Sunday, their Mexican hosts won't have hometown pride on the line, but they will have money riding on the game — a lot of it.

Sports betting is legal in Mexico, and every weekend thousands of gamblers line up at lottery windows or settle into cushy chairs at betting parlors to try their luck on Americanfootball. The matchup between "los Cardenales" and "los Cuarentaynueves" is the first regular-season NFL game outside the United States.

"There's going to be a lot of betting going on," Sergio Rosado Gascon, a computer engineer, said as he watched four games simultaneously in one of Mexico City's Caliente betting parlors on a recent Sunday.

In Mexico, wagering occurs two ways: through betting parlors or a government-run game called "Pro-Touch."

To get into one of the betting parlors, customers have to pass through a metal detector manned by armed guards. But inside, the establishments are a far cry from the dim, smoky bookie joints seen in movies.

There are comfortable chairs and carpeting, with bright lighting and big tables for spreading out statistics sheets. It's quiet enough to speak casually. If it weren't for the televisions everywhere, it would look like a reading room at the local library.

At a counter along one wall, customers can place bets on everything from hockey to politics. Who's going to be on the U.S. presidential ballot in 2008? The odds are on Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani right now.

Parlors also accept bets by telephone or via the Internet, but not from the United States, where betting on sports is illegal except in Nevada and Oregon, which runs a state lottery game called Sports Action.

In most Mexican betting parlors, American football is the sport of choice. Fans can place wagers on individual games or combinations of up to five games.

Guillermo Moreno Colin, a 47-year-old exterminator, said he prefers to bet on American football rather than Mexican soccer because of a general perception in Mexico that U.S. leagues are less tainted by corruption.

"In soccer, you get the feeling they're always arranging the games somehow," he said. "That's why I play Pro-Touch rather than Pro-Gol. It seems fairer."

Pro-Touch is played at the country's Pronosticos lottery windows. To win, players must correctly predict the outcome of 14 NFL matchups each week. Pro-Gol is the soccer version.

Each entry costs $1 and has a $150,000 maximum prize that keeps growing if no one wins.

The game is run by the federal government, and the earnings go to welfare programs, officials say.

Soccer doesn't even come close to American football in betting parlor popularity. One reason is soccer bets are harder to win. A gambler has about a 50% chance of winning a football bet, because there are rules to determine the winner in case of a tie. In soccer, bettors have to correctly predict a win, loss or tie — meaning a 33% chance of winning.

"Soccer is tedious. Football is more fun to bet on, because there are more surprises," bettor Oscar Palacios said.

But it also tends to be an upper-class pursuit.

With a minimum bet of $10, more than twice the daily minimum wage in Mexico, most customers who wager on football are well off. Rosado Gascon had $80 riding on the Cardinals, and said he bets up to $400 every Sunday. Palacios, who owns his own truck rental company, said he bets about $300 a week.

"It's expensive," Palacios said. "People who are earning minimum wage don't have the capacity to play like this."

NFL a big hit south of the border, even if Cards are not

Deep in Mexico City's garment district, vendor Isabel Suarez specializes in NFL jackets. For $21 each, she has the Colts, the Cowboys, even the 49ers.

There's one team she doesn't sell.

"The Cardinals? No, there's not much demand for them," Suarez said. She fingered through a rack just to be sure. "That's St. Louis, right?"

In the race to win fans south of the border, the Cardinals face an uphill battle against the likes of Oakland, Dallas and even faraway Pittsburgh.

Steelers jackets and Raiders T-shirts are a common sight in Mexico City, but Cardinals paraphernalia is as hard to find as chop suey in a Mexican restaurant.

The reasons have to do with migration, geography and the power of television, not to mention the Cardinals' miserable record.

According to the NFL's office in Mexico, seven teams hold sway over Mexico's small but loyal base of NFL fans: Dallas, Oakland, San Francisco, Pittsburgh, Denver, Miami and Houston. Most of those teams got an early foothold in Mexico in the 1970s, whenNFL games first began appearing on Mexican TV.

"Those were the teams we grew up watching," Leonardo Lizarraga Ortega, 35, said.

The Cardinals, meanwhile, have a number of handicaps, beginning with the fact that they have had only one winning season since moving to Arizona in 1988.

"Their main problem in Mexico is they aren't very good," Eduardo Marin Caballero, 20, said during a break in the action at a recent collegefootball game in Mexico City.

The Cardinals also lack the tradition and bigger-than-life image of other NFL teams, said Whitney Wagoner, an analyst at the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center in Oregon.

Teams with a strong legacy always have better luck selling abroad, she said.

"The Cowboys are just big — they somehow represent Americana themselves," Wagoner said. "The Raiders are another example of a team with something extra. It transcends borders, that kind of wild, crazy, costume-wearing thing."

But perhaps the biggest reason for those teams' popularity has to do with Mexican television in the 1970s, said Jorge Iglesias, who runs thefootball website tochito.com.

"When the first games began to be shown here in Mexico, they were almost always Cowboys games, and that started creating fans," he said. "If you hated the Cowboys, then you became a fan of one of their stronger rivals, which in those days was the Steelers, the Raiders, the 49ers."

If the Cardinals want to catch up, they need to advertise in Mexico and bring more players and coaches down to hold clinics for Mexican teams, Iglesias said.

If the Cardinals keep Mexican fans in mind, eventually they'll get a following, said Lorena Andrade, a Dolphins fan and the Mexico City director of the Jeffrey Group, a marketing company.

"It takes time to build a reputation, but it can be done," she said. "It would help if they kept playing games here. They don't even have to win them, just play them."

© Copyright 2005 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Co. Inc.

Falcons CB Mathis injures knee

FLOWERY BRANCH, Ga. (Sept. 14, 2005) -- Atlanta Falcons cornerback Kevin Mathis, who was kicked out of the season opener against Philadelphia after a scuffle in pregame warmups, won't be playing this week, either. - NFL Football -

Mathis injured his left knee in practice Sept. 14, and the Falcons fear it could be serious. He was on crutches in the locker room and being sent for an MRI exam.

"It's at least a sprain," coach Jim Mora said. "It locked up on him. He'll have to be evaluated further before I can tell anything more than that. It's not good."

Mathis started 12 games in 2004 and figured to be used extensively in passing situations this season, providing depth at cornerback behind starters DeAngelo Hall and Jason Webster.

But Mathis got ejected from Monday Night Football about a half-hour before it started. He traded punches during warmups with Philadelphia star Jeremiah Trotter, leading the officials to kick out both players. - NFL Football -

After watching the Falcons' 14-10 victory from home, Mathis rejoined his teammates to begin practicing for the team's Sept. 18 game at Seattle. On an innocent-looking play down the sideline, he went up to knock away a pass and came down awkwardly.

"I didn't think it was that serious," Mora said.

Mathis was taken off the field on a cart to be examined by team doctors, who determined it was a potentially serious injury. - NFL Football -

Mora said he hasn't considered what the Falcons would do if they have to put Mathis on injured reserve. Atlanta made it through the first game without any problems, keeping Terrell Owens out of the end zone.

The Falcons went into the season carrying five cornerbacks, including return specialist Allen Rossum and rookie Leigh Torrence. They don't have any cornerbacks on their practice squad.

In another potential blow to the team's secondary depth, Rossum was shaken up toward the end of practice, apparently tweaking his hamstring. He was listed as questionable.

Pro Bowl linebacker Keith Brooking (foot) and first-round pick Roddy White (ankle) were held out of practice, but Mora said they would play against the Seahawks (0-1).

Mathis and Trotter are expected to get hefty fines from the NFL, with an announcement likely to be made Sept. 15. Hall said he's also been told to expect a fine for snatching a Philadelphia player's helmet and throwing it to the turf during the scuffle. - NFL Football -

"I did get informed that they're going to be fined," Mora said. "The league has an image to protect. I thought the officials did a really good job of defusing what could have been a pretty intense situation. Unfortunately, two good players did not get to play an important game."

© 2005, NFL Enterprises LLC.