Wager Wire

Even though I'm not a betting man, I can't help but love the inlfux of Super Bowl bets that are being offered this week. And because "Over/Under" is my favorite game on Pardon the Interruption, I think it's time I run my own version. Here's my best shot at some of the more intriguing Super Bowl betting lines that are actually available on sites like BetOnSports.com. We'll check back next week to see how I did at prognosticating.

THE WAGER: Patriots by 7.5
THE PICK: Patriots. I'd love to see the Eagles make this a close game, the Pats have too many intangibles and I think they'll pull away in the fourth quarter.

THE WAGER: Points scored: Over/Under 47.5
THE PICK: Over. A lot of analysts are highlighting both teams' defensive prowess. But Philly is capable of hitting some big pass plays and New England can score in so many ways. I see New England's defense and special teams contributing to their scoring tomorrow, contributing to the over. It'll be New England 31, Philadelphia 23.

THE WAGER: Terrell Owens receptions: Over/Under 0.5
THE PICK: Over. Waaay over. And by that I mean T.O. will have at least 4 catches. Even though New England will jam him at the line, the Eagles will put him in motion or line him up as a flanker to get him some touches.

THE WAGER: Total Patriots rushing yards: Over/Under 121.5
THE PICK: Over. Corey Dillion will run roughshod, especially late in the game.

THE WAGER: Total QB sacks: Over/Under 5
THE PICK: Under. Both of these QBs are good at evading the rush. I feel pretty solid about this pick.

THE WAGER: Jersey # of first New England player to score TD: Over/Under 28.5
THE PICK: Over. Corey Dillon is the only logical choice for the under, and New England likes to do tricky stuff once they get in the red zone. I see a fade pass to a tight end or wideout as the first TD.

THE WAGER: Yardage length of first Philadelphia touchdown: Over/Under 7.5
THE PICK: Over. This is a tricky one, because New England doesn't give up big plays, but they rarely let you drive all the way down to the goal line either. I'm guessing the TD will come from an unexpected McNabb bootleg from 20 yards or so.

THE WAGER: Length of the National Anthem: Over/Under 1 min, 53 seconds
THE PICK: Under. This year the anthem will be sung by a choir made up of Armed Service members. Because of this, I think they'll have a traditional, concise rendition without any time-wasting vocal histrionics.