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Football Betting Preview: "Don't Call It A Comeback"

Three veteran NFL QBs are getting a second lease on life for 2005 - Who will be the ultimate reclamation project?

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In a league where the average career lasts roughly three to four years, the veteran quarterback has become an anomaly.

Vinny Testaverde, 41, has played the position for 16 seasons. Rich Gannon, 39, suited up for 18 years before injury recently forced him into retirement. By signing with New England, 42-year-old Doug Flutie is in his 13th NFL campaign.

Often, veteran QBs provide intangibles necessary for on-field success - tutoring baby-faced gunslingers fresh out of college; holding for extra-point and field goal attempts; teaching complex offensive schemes to the rookies. Oh, and they also look good in baseball caps and headsets. Football bettors they're not; these vets are a sure thing.

This is not to say, however, that all veteran QBs are brought in to be clipboard counselors. For some, the new surroundings create an air of optimism - and a chance to rekindle the glory days. Betting on these football guys is a smart wager.

It's a rationale that led Kansas City to nab Joe Montana at the tail end of his career, saw the Rams take a flier on Joe Namath in '77, and the Chargers gamble on Johnny Unitas after 17 years as a Colt. When a QB achieves a certain level of success in the NFL, he becomes a proven commodity - regardless of age. In this light, it's easy to see the thought process unfold when head coaches acquire a veteran signal-caller:

"If we put him in the right system...

"He knows how to win...

"All it takes is a change of scenery...

"Could be the missing piece of the puzzle...

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The upcoming NFL season is no different. Football betting across the country will be paying close attention to the QB position. With no less than eight teams starting quarterbacks with three years of experience or less, it would seem that the youth movement behind center is in full swing.

But there is an intriguing case to be made for a seasoned vet in new surroundings - Kurt Warner in Arizona - that could play a major role in 2005.

Kurt Warner

What makes this chapter of the Kurt Warner revival story so compelling? Look no further than the coach who brought the former Super Bowl MVP to Arizona - Denny Green.

During his 10 years as the Vikings head coach, Green made a name for himself by reviving veteran QBs. There's a strong inclination in Cardinal country that Green will do for Warner what he did for Warren Moon, Randall Cunningham and Jeff George in Minnesota. We're betting that the football gods will be kind to Warner in Arizona.

By assembling a trio of quality young receivers - Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitzgerald and Bryant Johnson - Green has surrounded Warner with the finest receiving unit he's had since his days in St. Louis.

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With protection behind an improved offensive line, Warner will likely be less of a sack liability - which proved to be his downfall while putting up respectable numbers (62.8% completion, 2054 yards passing) and a .500 record while starting for the Giants last season.

It's Warner's pedigree that intrigues most NFL pundits, however. How many teams can say that they picked up a two-time league MVP and a three-time Pro Bowler at such a crucial position? Warner is a past winner going to a Cardinal franchise with a long history of losing. With the NFC West regarded as the most wide-open division in football, Arizona seems primed to make a serious run at the playoffs, and a division crown.

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