Spaeth was cited for the classy charge of urinating in public and released.

Unfortunately for Reed, defending his teammate came with a price. He was promptly arrested and charged with assault, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and public intoxication. He didn't get sent to the pokey though – he was released to a family member at the scene. Get your NFL online football betting at Bodog Sportsbook!

New York Giants at Kansas City Chiefs @ 12 p.m. EDT on FOX – Betting Trends
NY Giants are 5-0 ATS in their last 5 games when playing Kansas City;
NY Giants are 16-2 ATS in their last 18 games on the road;
NY Giants are 18-3 SU in their last 21 games on the road;
NY Giants are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games when playing Kansas City;
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Kansas City's last 8 games at home;
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City's last 6 games;
Kansas City is 1-4 ATS in its last 5 games at home;
Kansas City is 1-6 SU in their last 7 games when playing NY Giants.

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Dallas Cowboys at Denver Broncos @ 3:15 p.m. on FOX – Betting Trends:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing Denver;
The total has gone OVER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games;
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Dallas's last 7 games on the road;
Dallas is 14-7 SU in its last 21 games on the road;
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Denver's last 5 games when playing Dallas;
The total has gone UNDER in 6 of Denver's last 7 games at home;
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Denver's last 7 games;
Denver is 5-2 SU in its last 7 games when playing Dallas.

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San Diego Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers @ 7:20 p.m. on NBC – Betting Trends:
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Diego's last 6 games on the road;
San Diego is 7-2 SU in its last 9 games;
The total has gone OVER in 6 of San Diego's last 8 games;
San Diego is 2-6 ATS in its last 8 games when playing Pittsburgh;
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home;
Pittsburgh is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Diego;
Pittsburgh is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games when playing San Diego;
Pittsburgh is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games at home.

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After completing a 4-0 preseason, the Baltimore Ravens start the regular season on Sunday at home against the Kansas City Chiefs.  The Ravens are listed as 10.5-point home favorites, while the road team is 4-0 ATS in their last four meetings.

As the 4-point underdog Cleveland Browns start their preparation for their opener against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, the team is only making the first 30 minutes of practice open to the media. This will leave everyone wondering who exactly will be the starting QB come Sunday.

Finally, the Cincinnati Bengals host the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

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But Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said Roethlisberger will still see some action Thursday night in the preseason finale against the Carolina Panthers, even with the chance that Big Ben could get hurt.

Roethlisberger, Charlie Batch, and Mike Reilly combined for just six incompletions in 31 pass attempts versus the Bills.

The Panthers are having trouble stopping the run. Against the New York Giants and Miami Dolphins, the run defense was exposed. The Ravens rushed for only 118 yards Saturday, but it was more because they were picking apart Carolina's secondary.

After an uninspired performance against the Ravens, the starters are likely to see some work against the Steelers with time running out to correct numerous problems.

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You certainly can't say the Steelers didn't earn it last year. They had not only the toughest strength of schedule in the NFL in 2008 but also one of the toughest ever. But Pittsburgh got to beat up on the AFC North, winning all six regular-season games. That could well be the case again this year, although one would think Baltimore is due after three close losses last year (including AFC title game). And this year, the Steelers should pound on everyone in the weak AFC West outside of San Diego. So that's potentially nine wins right there and probably eight for sure.

The defense that was totally dominant last year brings back nine starters; the new guys are cornerback William Gay, who split time with departed Bryant McFadden last season, and linebacker Lawrence Timmons, the team's No. 1 pick in 2007. That Pittsburgh defense ranked No. 1 overall in the NFL, No. 2 against the run, No. 1 against the pass and No. 1 in points allowed. That's good.

Assuming the 1-2 sack punch of James Harrison (16) and LaMarr Woodley (11.5) weren't just one-year wonders, this year's defense should be about as good.

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The offense could actually be better this year. Everyone is back, and that offensive line that began last season with four players at new positions should be completely in sync now.  Plus remember that rookie running back Rashard Mendenhall is healthy now and ready to add a new dimension behind Willie Parker, who himself was hurt for a portion of last season; Mendenhall was finished for the season in his rookie year after Week 4. The rushing attack averaged just 105.6 yards per game in 2008, so that should rise.

Of course it all begins with Ben Roethlisberger, who is just entering his prime years. The only concern is he has been sacked a ton the past three years. And perhaps Santonio Holmes is ready to jump into the elite group of receivers following his Super Bowl performance. The team does have to replace valuable Nate Washington as the No. 3 receiver; Limas Sweed appears to have the inside track.

Here is the Steelers' 2009 schedule, and we'll break it downafter:
Sept. 10 vs. Tennessee Titans, 8:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 at Chicago Bears, 4:15 p.m.
Sept. 27 at Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.
Oct. 4 vs. San Diego Chargers, 8:20 p.m.
Oct. 11 at Detroit Lions, 1 p.m.
Oct. 18 vs. Cleveland Browns, 1 p.m.
Oct. 25 vs. Minnesota Vikings, 1 p.m.
Week 8: Bye
Nov. 9 at Denver Broncos, 8:30 p.m.
Nov. 15 vs. Cincinnati Bengals, 1 p.m.
Nov. 22 at Kansas City Chiefs, 1 p.m.
Nov. 29 at Baltimore Ravens, 8:20 p.m.
Dec. 6 vs. Oakland Raiders, 1 p.m.
Dec. 10 at Cleveland Browns, 8:20 p.m.
Dec. 20 vs. Green Bay Packers, 1 p.m.
Dec. 27 vs. Baltimore Ravens, 1 p.m.
Jan. 3 at Miami Dolphins, 1 p.m.

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Strength of schedule: 29th (opponents combined to go 110-144-2, .434, in 2008)
Projected record: 12-4
Bodog over/under total: 10 1/2
Bodog odds to win AFC North: 5/11
Bodog odds to win AFC: 9/2
Bodog odds to win Super Bowl XLIV: 9/1 (second to Patriots)
Seriously, look this schedule and tell me in which games the

Steelers will be underdogs. Maybe at Chicago, at Baltimore and at Miami. And those are all iffy. Only five opponents made the playoffs a year ago.

As the Super Bowl champs, the Steelers get to kick off the season on Thursday night. Of course the Titans handed Pittsburgh one of its four regular-season losses last year, but that was in Nashville. No way coach Mike Tomlin allows his team to lose that home opener on national TV.

It would seem the toughest stretch of the schedule begins Nov. 29, with three tough road games and two home games against likely playoff contenders. I'm guessing Pittsburgh wishes its bye came after one of the matchups with Baltimore, as those two usually pound each other. Instead they play twice in five weeks late in the year.

No West Coast games this year for Pittsburgh, which only has to travel as far west as Denver. And because the Steelers are facing the NFC North, we will see some rare trips. Green Bay's trip to Pittsburgh will be the first for the Packers in the regular season since 1998. Pittsburgh visits Chicago for the first time in 14 years and Detroit for the first time in 11.

This team should be back in the AFC Championship Game at a minimum. And I believe that Pittsburgh's schedule is set up for the Steelers to get the AFC's No. 1 seed over the Patriots and Chargers. I won’t predict who wins a New England/San Diego-Pittsburgh AFC title tilt, but one of those matchups looks very likely.

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The Baltimore Ravens routed the Redskins 23-0, and gained 500 net yards on offense Thursday night at M&T Bank Stadium.

The good news for the Redskins is Pro Bowl defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth expects to play Saturday against the defending Super Bowl champs.

Clinton Portis also is expected to make his preseason debut against the Steelers.

All of this adds up to Washington being much more competitive, at least while their two stars get some game action in.

For the Steelers, two-time Pro Bowl RB Willie Parker, who missed most of last week and didn’t play against the Cardinals because of back spasms, has also returned to practice and will play against the Redskins.

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Bodog has the line set at -3 for the Super Bowl champions as Thursday's game approaches.

Of course some key players will be missing from this matchup – it will be all about the second string squads. This game means very little to the Steelers since no matter what happens, they are still the uncontested Super Bowl champs until the next big game.

Now that the Cards have released RB Edgerrin James and lost DE Antonio Smith to free agency, it will be interesting to see first-round draft pick Beanie Wells splits RB duties with second-year back Tim Hightower.

Can the Cards get some form of payback on Thursday?

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Players report today and will have their annual run test. Practice will start tomorrow and run through Aug. 20, the last day at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.

The players do not have a day off until Aug. 12, the day before their first preseason game.

There is good reason why the Steelers are listed at +900 to repeat.

The team will be nearly identical to the one that won six months ago, beating Arizona 27-23 on Ben Roethlisberger’s last-minute TD pass to Santonio Holmes.

Only two starters are gone, and neither player who left may have started this season.

The Steelers made certain tight end Heath Miller’s status wouldn’t be an issue, reaching terms Wednesday on a new contract.

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Two-plus months after the Brett Favre-to-the-Vikings soap opera began, and days before a decision was expected to be announced, ESPN reported Thursday that the 39-year-old quarterback has not made up his mind.

Then you have Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who denied to the world yesterday that he sexually assaulted a Nevada casino worker. Who knows how that is going to play out.

Michael Vick could be on his way back to the NFL if a team signs him before, during, or following a predicted four-game suspension from league commissioner Roger Goodell.

Of course the juicier rumor is an anonymously-sourced blog reporting that Vick attended a strip club shortly after his official release.

Even in the offseason, it is never boring in the NFL.

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They now own the Super Bowl champion Steelers and the Stanley Cup champion Penguins.

Even the World Series winners, the Philadelphia Phillies are in the same state.

No city has ever won more than two titles from the NBA, NFL, MLB, or NFL in the same year.

Pittsburgh’s feat, following the double by the Pirates and Steelers 30 years earlier, solidifies its claim as one of the nation’s most successful pro sports cities, per capita, even if the Pirates can’t overcome their current deficit in the NL Central and make it a triple.

Can you imagine if only Villanova’s Scottie Reynolds had missed that layup? The Panthers could have made a run at the NCAA title.

Other cities like L.A. and New York have had multiple champions before, but they also have more teams.

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