On the Road Again

That's the plight of the Pittsburgh Steelers andhave won four straight playoff games on the
Carolina Panthers, who once more findroad, two this season and another pair when they
themselves having to face hostile crowds inmade their first Super Bowl appearance in
unfriendly environs as they play for NFL2004."You can't keep going on the road and
conference championships this weekend.Thewinning indefinitely," Snyder said."The Denver and
Broncos are a 3 to 3 1/2-point AFC favorite overSeattle players are sleeping in their own beds and
the Steelers at Mile High Stadium in Denver whileare just a short drive from the away from their
the NFC Seahawks are laying 4 1/2 points to thestadiums."The Steelers and Panthers are looking
Panthers at Seattle's Qwest Stadium.The total isat long plane rides, checking in at hotels and
41 in the Rocky Mountains and 43 1/2 insleeping in strange beds," Snyder continued."Playing
America's Great Northwest.Bookmakers contendon the road is a big thing."Nevertheless, Snyder
the sides are so evenly matched that the gamessaid early betting was on the road teams "by
are garnering solid two-way action as the clockalmost a 2/1 ratio.""It's weird," he observed.
ticks toward Sunday.'I don't have any predictions,""They're betting the Steelers straight, but the
said Cyril Burger, the former Hilton SuperBookBroncos in parlays."Likewise, the public is taking
chief who now runs the Flamingo bet shop.the Panthers."We opened at Seahawks minus 5 1
"These games are too close to call."I think they'll2 and it's now 4," Snyder noted.The total on that
be tremendous games, though."Not being at thegame has gone from 43 to 44 at Sam's Town,
hub (Caesars Palace), it's kind of hard to tell howan East Las Vegas resort."They're betting the
the betting's going."Rich Baccellieri, the Palms' raceover heavily in the Seattle game and the under
and sports director, couldn't forecast much moreon the Denver game. We've gone from 43 to
than "a busy weekend for the books.""The41," Snyder declared.Eric St. Clair, a son-law of
numbers seem to be right there and we'relongtime Las Vegas oddsmaker Bob Martin who
getting good action both ways," Baccellieri said.now operates books at The Cannery and
"It's like a roll of the dice."Baccellieri conceded,Rampart Casino, agrees with Snyder's rationale
however, that the Seattle-Carolina game possiblyand prefers the two home clubs."I don't think the
would present a different scenario if the PanthersSteelers will win a third straight road game, not
weren't so plagued with injuries.The heart ofwith that crowd at Mile High," he said."If Carolina
Carolina's backfield will be watching from thewas healthy, I'd choose the Panthers."St. Clair said
bench as running back DeShaun Foster is out withwagering at the two northwest valley casinos
a busted ankle, joining injured reservist Stephenwas pretty even."The teaser action is going to
Davis on the sidelines.Jake Delhomme and thethe dogs, though," he added.Most betting action
remainder of the Panthers' offense instead willwill pass through the counters on Saturday and
rely on Nick Goings, a fifth year undrafted freeSunday, St. Clair observed."People will come in
agent who has performed well under pressure inSaturday to bet basketball and they'll be making
the past.Goings has averaged 4.4 yards a carry intheir NFL selections then."Whichever teams
the playoffs, but is not a breakaway threat.Theadvance to Super Bowl XL at Detroit's Ford Field
good news for Carolina Friday was that defensivetwo weeks from Sunday, don't look for
end Julius Peppers was likely to be in the lineuprecord-breaking betting numbers.Denver is the
after suffering a shoulder injury against Chicagoonly survivor that could be considered a public
last week. Peppers practiced Friday after restingteam, dating back to the days of John Elway."The
earlier in the week."I think you'd see a differentSuper Bowl won't be as glamorous as it would've
game with everyone healthy," Baccellieri said.Thebeen with Indianapolis in there," Baccellieri
No. 1 priority for Carolina will be to get the ball toobserved. "These teams don't have the same
wideout Steve Smith, who led the NFL with 103kind of appeal as the Colts."It's obviously going to
receptions for 1,563 yards and guided the attackdraw," Baccellieri said. "After all, it is the Super
against Chicago last week.Jack Snyder, topBowl. Some of the flair will be missing,
assistant to Tony Paonessa at Sam's Town,though."Lynda Collins is a documented member of
believes Carolina and Pittsburgh will wear outthe Professional Handicappers
before time runs out on Sunday.The PanthersLeague.