| That's the plight of the Pittsburgh
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| | out on Sunday.The Panthers have won four
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| Steelers and Carolina Panthers, who once
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| | straight playoff games on the road, two
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| more find themselves having to face
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| | this season and another pair when they
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| hostile crowds in unfriendly environs as
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| | made their first Super Bowl appearance in
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| they play for NFL conference
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| | 2004."You can't keep going on the road
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| championships this weekend.The Broncos
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| | and winning indefinitely," Snyder
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| are a 3 to 3 1/2-point AFC favorite over
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| | said."The Denver and Seattle players are
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| the Steelers at Mile High Stadium in
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| | sleeping in their own beds and are just a
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| Denver while the NFC Seahawks are laying
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| | short drive from the away from their
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| 4 1/2 points to the Panthers at Seattle's
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| | stadiums."The Steelers and Panthers are
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| Qwest Stadium.The total is 41 in the
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| | looking at long plane rides, checking in
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| Rocky Mountains and 43 1/2 in America's
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| | at hotels and sleeping in strange beds,"
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| Great Northwest.Bookmakers contend the
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| | Snyder continued."Playing on the road is
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| sides are so evenly matched that the
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| | a big thing."Nevertheless, Snyder said
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| games are garnering solid two-way action
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| | early betting was on the road teams "by
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| as the clock ticks toward Sunday.'I don't
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| | almost a 2/1 ratio.""It's weird," he
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| have any predictions," said Cyril Burger,
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| | observed. "They're betting the Steelers
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| the former Hilton SuperBook chief who now
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| | straight, but the Broncos in
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| runs the Flamingo bet shop. "These games
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| | parlays."Likewise, the public is taking
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| are too close to call."I think they'll be
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| | the Panthers."We opened at Seahawks minus
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| tremendous games, though."Not being at
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| | 5 1/2 and it's now 4," Snyder noted.The
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| the hub (Caesars Palace), it's kind of
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| | total on that game has gone from 43 to 44
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| hard to tell how the betting's
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| | at Sam's Town, an East Las Vegas
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| going."Rich Baccellieri, the Palms' race
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| | resort."They're betting the over heavily
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| and sports director, couldn't forecast
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| | in the Seattle game and the under on the
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| much more than "a busy weekend for the
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| | Denver game. We've gone from 43 to 41,"
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| books.""The numbers seem to be right
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| | Snyder declared.Eric St. Clair, a son-law
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| there and we're getting good action both
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| | of longtime Las Vegas oddsmaker Bob
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| ways," Baccellieri said. "It's like a
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| | Martin who now operates books at The
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| roll of the dice."Baccellieri conceded,
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| | Cannery and Rampart Casino, agrees with
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| however, that the Seattle-Carolina game
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| | Snyder's rationale and prefers the two
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| possibly would present a different
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| | home clubs."I don't think the Steelers
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| scenario if the Panthers weren't so
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| | will win a third straight road game, not
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| plagued with injuries.The heart of
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| | with that crowd at Mile High," he
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| Carolina's backfield will be watching
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| | said."If Carolina was healthy, I'd choose
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| from the bench as running back DeShaun
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| | the Panthers."St. Clair said wagering at
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| Foster is out with a busted ankle,
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| | the two northwest valley casinos was
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| joining injured reservist Stephen Davis
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| | pretty even."The teaser action is going
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| on the sidelines.Jake Delhomme and the
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| | to the dogs, though," he added.Most
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| remainder of the Panthers' offense
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| | betting action will pass through the
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| instead will rely on Nick Goings, a fifth
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| | counters on Saturday and Sunday, St.
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| year undrafted free agent who has
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| | Clair observed."People will come in
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| performed well under pressure in the
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| | Saturday to bet basketball and they'll be
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| past.Goings has averaged 4.4 yards a
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| | making their NFL selections
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| carry in the playoffs, but is not a
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| | then."Whichever teams advance to Super
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| breakaway threat.The good news for
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| | Bowl XL at Detroit's Ford Field two weeks
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| Carolina Friday was that defensive end
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| | from Sunday, don't look for
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| Julius Peppers was likely to be in the
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| | record-breaking betting numbers.Denver is
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| lineup after suffering a shoulder injury
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| | the only survivor that could be
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| against Chicago last week. Peppers
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| | considered a public team, dating back to
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| practiced Friday after resting earlier in
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| | the days of John Elway."The Super Bowl
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| the week."I think you'd see a different
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| | won't be as glamorous as it would've been
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| game with everyone healthy," Baccellieri
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| | with Indianapolis in there," Baccellieri
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| said.The No. 1 priority for Carolina will
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| | observed. "These teams don't have the
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| be to get the ball to wideout Steve
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| | same kind of appeal as the Colts."It's
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| Smith, who led the NFL with 103
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| | obviously going to draw," Baccellieri
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| receptions for 1,563 yards and guided the
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| | said. "After all, it is the Super Bowl.
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| attack against Chicago last week.Jack
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| | Some of the flair will be missing,
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| Snyder, top assistant to Tony Paonessa at
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| | though."Lynda Collins is a documented
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| Sam's Town, believes Carolina and
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| | member of the Professional Handicappers
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| Pittsburgh will wear out before time runs
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| | League.
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